On the road with the Winchesters
by civillove
Summary: What if there was another with the Winchesters through Season 1? Andrea Core loses her father on a hunt and she stays with Dean and Sam and their father. Through Season one.
1. Prologue: Eight years before Pilot

Title: On the road with the Winchesters

Summary: What if there was another with the Winchesters through Season 1? Andrea Core loses her father on a hunt and she stays with Dean and Sam and their father. But what happens when John doesn't come back from a hunt? Starting with Pilot.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Andrea and her father.

**(I just redid chapters 1 through 5 because of grammar and first person mistakes :D so yay! I also added some more to the story :) but nothing that will change the outcome if you've already read it)**

0o0o0o0o

Prologue: Eight years before Pilot.

My name is Andrea Core and I'm fifteen years old. I jumped down the stairs, making the picture frames on the side wall of my house rattle. I was so excited, today was my first hunt with the Winchesters and it was about time. My father, Max Core, had been hunting with John Winchester since I was eight but I'd never been allowed to hunt. Dean, now eighteen and Sam, fourteen, had been hunting for years now and I finally had enough training to come with them.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I could see my father and John fighting outside and I rolled my blue eyes. It was probably about weapons and locations, what else was new? I saw Sam was in the kitchen, nosily eating his cereal and decided to join him.

"Hey Sam." I said sitting down and flipping my long brown hair behind me.

Sam smiled, looking up. His shaggy brown hair was just starting to come too close to his eyes. I'd been best friends with Sam ever since we've been little. We'd gotten really close after my mother died three years ago.

"Where's Dean?" I asked taking the box of cereal from him.

"Sharpening weapons." Sam rolled his eyes and I smiled slightly.

Sam had never been into hunting like Dean and I were. And he got into lots of fights with his father because of it. One time or another, one of those fights was going to be too much. But I could see his point in wanting a normal life; maybe if I had one my mother would be alive.

"Hey Andy." Dean said coming into the kitchen with a .45 in one hand.

"Hey." I smiled at the nickname. I didn't think the Winchesters even remembered my real name. They'd been calling her Andy since the day they first met.

"Ready for the hunt? I've never been after a Wendigo before."

I nodded. "I'm ready as I'll ever be. You don't use guns right? To kill them?" I made sure I researched that all day and night. Making sure I knew what the hell I was talking about. My dad would grill me if I got one thing wrong, hell, one thing wrong could cost you your life.

Dean shook his head. "Nope, it's only fire that kills these things. I gotta remember to bring the flares."

"What are they fighting about?" I asked motioning to the yelling outside.

"You going out for the hunt. Your dad doesn't think you're ready."

My face fell. "He told me I was! I can't believe he's on that again!"

Sam put a hand on my forearm. "He's just looking out for you."

"I'll never learn to look out for myself if he's always doing it." I muttered.

Suddenly John came through the back door in the kitchen. "Andy, I'm sorry your father doesn't think you're ready." He didn't wait for my complaint and pointed at Dean. "Pack your stuff and come on. You too Sam."

Sam nodded as Max came through the doorway heading me. I knew the conversation boiling and I gripped my fists at my sides in frustration. I didn't wait for Dean and Sam to leave before I started yelling.

"You promised I could go! I've been training for months now. You _promised_."

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry Andy. I just want to keep you safe." He said calmly.

"You can't keep me safe all the time dad! You have to trust me, I have to learn." I stormed off back upstairs and Sam ran after me. I was sitting on the top step with my head in my hands. Sam sat next to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

I was choking back tears. "He promised I could go. How am I ever going to protect myself if he won't let me try?"

Sam didn't respond, he just put a comforting arm around my shoulders and rubbed gently, letting me vent.

"Sam let's go!" Dean called from the kitchen. He came to the bottom of the stairs and saw Sam comforting me.

"We gotta go Sam." He looked at Andy. "Sorry."

I looked at him and shook my head, trying to smile. "It's ok. Be safe you guys ok?"

Dean nodded as Sam came down the stairs. "We will."

I came downstairs and watched as Dean and Sam packed the Impala and sat in the back while John drove and my father sat in the passenger seat. I gave a light wave to Sam and tried blowing a kiss to my father as John pulled away but he didn't look back. He never did.

0o0o0o0o0

I yawned and looked at the clock. It was nearing two A.M on the third day that my father and the others weren't back yet. I was used to it however, since I had to stay back from the hunts all the time. I was starting to fall asleep until I heard a car turn into the driveway. Finally! They were home. Sam, Dean and John entered the front door looking somber, I guessed they were tired.

I got up and took a bag from Sam, setting it on the stairs. "Hey guys, how was the hunt?"

No one said anything and John closed the door.

"Where's my dad?" I asked just noticing he hadn't come in with the others.

John sighed and looked at me sympathetically. I knew that look; something bad had happened.

"Where's my dad?" I asked again. My voice was now shaking with worry but I couldn't help it.

I looked to all of them but no one was talking.

"Is he—is he alright?" I asked. Maybe he was still in the car, or even the hospital. I was willing to think even that even though we hardly visited hospitals. John was an ex-marine. If something needed to be done, he could patch you up pretty damn good.

John shook his head. "I'm sorry Andy."

"What do you mean you're sorry?" My father had to be alright. He just had to be.

"He didn't make it. A wendigo came out of nowhere and attacked us. I'm so sorry, none of us were prepared."

Tears started falling from my eyes and I felt like my throat was closing up. I shook my head rapidly trying to deny the words John was saying. Like it'd make a difference. "No…"

My breath started hitching and Sam came towards me putting his arms around me. I started to sob and he held me tighter.

"What's going to happen to her?" Dean asked quietly. I wanted to scream and yell at him to stop whispering. I wasn't deaf.

"She's staying with us. And she's learning to hunt." John said heading to the front door, "I'm unloading the car, come on."

I watched Dean follow his father out and buried my head in Sam's shoulder, soaking his t-shirt with my tears.

"Come on, let's go upstairs." Sam said quietly.

0o0o0o

Sam took me upstairs and sat me down on my bed, continuing to hug me tightly.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"I didn't say anything to him!" I sobbed. "I was so angry; he'll never know how much I love him."

Sam brought me closer to him and he stroked my hair. "He knew Andy; just like you know he loves you."

I seemed to cry harder when he said that and Sam knew I understood. My father would always love me, just like his father would always love him and Dean.

0o0o0o

next is the first part of pilot, how do you like it?


	2. Chapter 1: Pilot part 1

Chapter 1: Pilot part 1

Dean slammed the car door shut at the gas station. I was twenty three now and was on the road with Dean. I winced at the loud bang the door made. "He'll be okay Dean. Your dad knows what he's doing."

Dean's twenty-six year old face looked doubtful. "He's missing Andy. He's never done that."

I could tell he was worried. I was worried too; John had become my father figure after my dad died. "You break you car door he'll be pissed at you."

He smiled slightly but it quickly turned back into a determined scowl. "We need Sam."

I shook my head. "He'd be pissed if we tried to pull him out of college for this. Don't do that to him Dean."

I'd heard how happy Sam had been when he started college and I was thrilled when he met a girl named Jess. He said he was completely falling for her. I had been mad at him at first for leaving, he after all was my best friend, but I got over it. The fact that Sam was happy won over my anger.

"He's already pissed Andy, that's why he left if you don't remember." He said angrily.

I could practically see venom leaking from his mouth. He'd been royally pissed too when Sam had left. He kept telling me over and over again how selfish he was being, leaving us. But I could tell he was a little jealous, Sam could have a shot at a normal life.

"I remember." I said softly. "He was my best friend Dean and I was there when he fought with your dad."

"Damn." Dean muttered. "Sorry Andy. I just…I need dad."

I nodded. "Well if we can't get Sam, you'll always have me; I'll help you find him."

Dean smiled. He was actually kind of hot when it was genuine. "Thanks."

I realized that Dean had become somewhat my best friend over the time Sam had left. We spent every moment together, saw each other's best and worst and looked out for one another.

I smiled as Dean pulled out of the station. It was nearing 10 pm and by the time they got there Sam would no doubt be asleep.

"Are you sure you want to do this tonight?" I asked.

"The sooner the better."

And I left it at that. It was off to Stanford University.

0o0o0o0o

Dean pulled up in front of the school.

"Wait here." He ordered.

I nodded, sticking my head out the window as Dean got out. "Dean, no crap alright?"

I knew he understood what I was talking about. I didn't want Dean and Sam fighting the whole time about Sam going to school while they looked for their dad.

Dean waved me off and I smiled lying back in my seat. That Dean was a pistol.

0o0o0o0o

I waited for what seemed like hours for Dean to come out of the damn building with Sam. I never got to go to college if I remembered correctly. Otherwise I would have been going right along with Sam. I wasn't quite sure why I hadn't up and left with him. Maybe it was because of my dad and what he wanted for me. He wanted me to hunt and to learn. To keep people safe. I honestly thought that ridiculous in my head even though I'd never say that out loud. My dad wanted me to save lives when I didn't even get a thank you. And I could have been so much more if I went to college. But there are just some things you can't leave behind. These Winchesters were my family and I couldn't leave them.

"You think mom would have wanted this for us?" I heard Sam ask, glancing around the corner to see Dean and Sam round it. "The weapon training and melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors."

"So, what are you gonna do? You just gonna live some normal, apple-pie life? Is that it?" I interrupted before Dean and Sam could start bitching. They were pros at that. Two girls I swear.

Dean smiled and Sam looked up surprised. "Andy…" he said quietly.

I smiled. "Hi Sam."

"Oh my god…" he said smiling. He came towards me and hugged me tightly. "Wow, Andy. You look great! Its been forever."

I pulled away and smiled wider. "Look how tall you are Sam." I laughed. "Way taller than Dean."

Dean opened the trunk and scowled at me. I smiled and Sam gave me a small hug again. "I've missed you."

I nodded. "Me too. We have a lot to catch up on."

"Can the encounter group meet later? Say when we find dad?" Dean asked annoyed. I nodded and Sam and I went to the back of the car and stood among the trunks contents with Dean.

"So dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop outside of Jericho, California. About a month ago this guy they found his car but he'd vanished, completely M.I.A." Dean said handing the newspaper clippings to Sam.

"So maybe he was kidnapped." Sam said.

"In our line or work?" I quipped.

"The kidnappings started happening more and more so dad went to go dig around. That was about three weeks ago. I hadn't heard from him since, which is bad enough. Then I get this voicemail yesterday."

He played the crackling tape and Sam looked at him. "You know there's EVP on that?"

"Not bad, Sammy. Kind of like riding a bike isn't it?" Dean asked smiling. "Andy slowed the message down, and ran it through a Gold Wave took out the hiss, and this is what she got."

"I can never go home." A woman said.

"Never go home?" Sam asked.

"You know in almost two years we've never bothered you. Never asked you for a thing." Dean said throwing his backs in the trunk and looking at me.

Sam nodded. "All right. I'll go. I'll help you find him. But I have to get back first thing Monday. Just wait here."

"What's first thing Monday?" Dean asked making Sam turn back around as he headed for the passenger seat.

"I have this…I have an interview." Sam said slowly.

I smiled, practically bouncing towards him. "Sam that's great! What's it for?"

"What, a job interview?" Dean interrupted. "Skip it."

I looked at Dean a stern look replacing my happy one. "Dean, knock it off."

"It's a law-school interview, and it's my whole future on a plate." Sam said proudly and I gave him a side hug of congratulations.

Dean just looked at him. "Law school?"

"So we got a deal or not?" Sam asked.

Dean didn't reply just got into the car. I rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him. That's great Sam, I'm really proud of you."

Sam smiled. "Thanks Andy."I nodded and Sam pulled me into another hug before I could get back into the car. "I really did miss you."

0o0o0o0o

I fell asleep after Sam had gotten back into the car and they headed out to Jericho. When I started to wake up they were in a gas station again and Dean wasn't in the driver's seat.

"Where's Dean?" I asked.

Sam looked back at me and then pointed outside the driver window where Dean was now standing with chips and a Mountain Dew.

"Hey, you guys want breakfast?" he asked.

I smiled and shook my head and Sam grimaced. "No thanks. So how'd you pay for that stuff? You guys still running credit card scams?"

"Yeah well…hunting isn't exactly a pro-ball career. Besides, all we do is apply, it's not our fault they send us the cards." I said stretching.

"Yeah and what names did you write on the application this time?"

Dean smiled climbing back into the car and throwing a power bar at me. "Uh…Bert Aframian and his son, Hector. With his newly wed Noelle. Scored three cards out of the deal."

I giggled and opened the bar. Sam nodded. "Sounds about right. I swear man; you gotta update your cassette-tape collection."

"Why?"

"I told him, every car doesn't even have a tape player anymore."

Dean glared at me and I smiled innocently. "Well this one does."

"Black Sabbath? Motorhead? Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock." Sam said holding up a tape.

"There's nothing wrong with Black Sabbath." I countered. "Although I do have an iPod to cover up all the other crap you peddle in this car."

Dean rolled his eyes through the review mirror and I smiled. He probably didn't even know what an iPod was. He reached over Sam and popped the tape in. "House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole."

"What does back seat get?" I asked.

"Nothing, you get a ride. Otherwise you'd be walking." Dean quipped.

"You know Sammy is a chubby twelve year old. It's Sam, okay?" Sam argued.

"You were never chubby." I said giggling. "Just tall. Unlike Dean. Tallness is a nice thing ya know." I said loud enough so I could tease Dean. "Girls love it."

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you. The music's too loud." Dean wisecracked and I shook my head smiling.

When we made it to a crime scene there were cops everywhere.

"Dean are you sure about this? I asked.

Dean nodded and handed me and Sam fake I.Ds. "Yeah, lets go."

I nodded and followed Sam and Dean outside to the car on the bridge. I grimaced at the blood. It was funny how my whole entire life had been centered on things that could end my life bloody and grim and I never got used to the sight.

"You alright?" Sam asked and I nodded.

"You fella's had another one just like this last month, didn't ya?" Dean asked looking professional.

"Who are you?" the policeman asked and Dean, Sam and I flashed our fake I.Ds.

"Federal Marshals."

"Young for Marshals aren't you?" he asked, pointedly looking at me.

I smiled. "Thanks, that's awfully kind of you. You did have another one just like this correct?"

He nodded and I looked at Dean. "Any connections between the victims besides that they're all men?"

"No, not so far as we can tell."

"So what's the theory?" Sam asked joining Dean and me near the car.

"Honestly? We don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring?" the policeman said, getting nods from the others.

Dean nodded as well. "Well that is exactly the kind of crack police work that I'd expect out of you guys."

I smirked and Sam stomped on Dean's foot making him wince.

"Thank you for your time." Sam said trying to draw the attention away from Dean's groan.

When they headed back to the car Dean suddenly smacked Sam on the back of the head.

"Dean!" I exclaimed.

"Ow! What was that for?" Sam asked.

"Why do you have to step on my foot?"

"Why do you have to talk to police like that?"

Dean turned, cutting him off. He couldn't believe that was an actual question. "Come on. They don't really know what's going on."

"Guys." I tried getting their attention.

"We're all alone on this. I mean if we're gonna find dad we've gotta get to the bottom of this thing ourselves."

"_Marshals_." I grit out making them turn.

"Can I help you?" the sheriff asked to a now attentive Dean and Sam.

"No sir, we were just leaving." Dean said nodding at them. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully."

I smiled at the two officers as they walked past and we all went back into the Impala.

"Ok so now what?" I asked.

"Lets head to town. I heard that the missing guy's girlfriend is putting up posters." Dean said starting the engine.

"Well drop me off at the library." I said. "I can be ready to look up something if you get anything out of them."

Dean shook his head. "You'll be a sitting duck until we do."

"I'm just trying to help." I said sitting back in my seat. Dean looked back at me pouting through the rearview mirror.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, but Sam's coming with you."

I nodded. I liked it better that way anyway.

0o0o0o0o

"Dean just called. He was talking with the girls hanging up posters." I said hanging up my phone. "He made a point in telling me however that neither girls were lookers so…he won't be long."

Sam rolled his eyes as I can up and sat next to him. "Glad to see some things never change." He said, smiling at me. I laughed but it was short. I couldn't tell whether he was talking about Dean or talking about me. I rolled my eyes.

I typed in 'Female Murder Centennial Highway' but it came up with no results. "I got nothing."

Sam stuck out his hand over the mouse. "Let me try."

I playfully smacked Sam's hand away. "I got it."

Sam smiled and pushed my chair out of his way. I playfully hit him on the back as he took control of the computer. "You're such a control freak."

"So angry spirits are born out of violent death, right?" he asked and I nodded.

"So maybe it's not murder." He retyped in 'Female Suicide Centennial Highway' and one result popped up. "This was 1981. Constance Welch, 24 years old; Jumps off Sylvania Bridge, drowns in the river."

"Does it say why she did it?" I asked.

"An hour before they found her, she calls 911. Her two little kids are in the bathtub, she leaves them alone for a minute, she comes back, and they aren't breathing. Both die."

"Wow." I said sympathetically.

Sam read over the article. "Our baby's were gone and Constance just couldn't bear it," said husband, Joseph Welch."

I pointed over Sam's shoulder at the picture that had shown up with the article. "That bridge look familiar to you?"

He nodded and I slid my chair into his. He smiled and I brought my hand up to steady myself. Although when I brought my hand down my hand connected with his and we sat there for a few moments, holding onto each other's hands. Luckily Dean called when he did and complained that if he had to wait in the car any longer we were walking. Otherwise, things might have gotten complicated. More than they already were.

0o0o0o0

I couldn't help but think of the way my hand had been touching Sam's in the library. I had had feelings for him ever since he held me the night my dad had been buried and maybe even before that. But I couldn't possibly be with him. For one I was on the road with Dean now and Sam had a girlfriend.

"You alright?" Dean asked noticing I was staring out the back window.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." I said nodding.

Dean didn't look like he bought it but he shut up about it.

Every one got out at the bridge and Dean looked over one of the edges.

"So this is where Constance took the swan dive." Dean asked chuckling.

"So you think dad would have been here?" Sam asked.

I shrugged. "Well he's chasing the same story and we're chasing him."

"Okay so now what?"

I shook my head and waited for Dean's answer. He was really provoking him without even knowing it.

"Now we keep digging till we find him. It might take a while." He answered like it was obvious.

"Dean, I told you, I've gotta get back by—"

"Monday. Right, the interview." Dean cut him off.

I sighed deeply. "Here it goes." I muttered.

"Yeah, I forgot. You're really serious about this aren't you? You think you're just gonna become some lawyer? Marry your girl?"

"Dean…" I tried.

"Maybe. Why not?" Sam asked.

"Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" Dean asked. He was getting heated now.

I rolled her eyes. It was ridiculous how they each needed to prove a point when they were around each other.

"No and she's not ever going to know." He was getting pretty close to Dean's face and he backed up.

"Well that's healthy." Dean nodded. "You can pretend all you want, Sammy. But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are."

I shook my head. "Stop it Dean. Leave it alone."

"No Andy I want to know. Who is that Dean?"

"One of us." Dean said motioning to him and me.

"No, I'm not like you. This is not going to be my life." Sam said and I felt a little hurt. Okay, sure, this life wasn't pie and I wouldn't pick it out of a normal life but it wasn't that horrid. Hell, maybe it was. I had lost too many people because of it.

"Well you've got a responsibility." Dean countered matter of factly.

"To dad and his crusade? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what mom looks like."

"Sam!" I yelled. I looked to Dean and could tell Sam was irritating a wounded nerve.

"What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone, and she isn't coming back."

Dean shrugged and not a moment later, he grabbed Sam by the shirt and shoved him up against a rail on the bridge.

I rushed over to them and tried pushing myself in between before someone started throwing punches. "Guys knock it off, that's enough!"

I pushed Dean off of Sam and he pointed at him. "Don't talk about her like that." Dean spat, seething with anger and hurt.

I pulled Dean over to the side. "You've made your point Dean." Dean let me pull him away from Sam before he shrugged me off. "You alright?" I asked but he wasn't listening. "Dean?"

He motioned to something behind me and I turned to see Constance on the bridge. "Sam." I called.

Sam turned to see her too, and she looked towards them before she let go of the rail she was holding on to and fell off the bridge. We all ran over to where we saw her drop, but there was no sign of movement in the water, or sound of her going into the water.

"Where'd she go?" I asked.

"I don't know." Sam answered.

Suddenly Dean's car started and the lights flicked on, blaring down on everyone's eyes.

"Who's driving your car?" I asked.

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys to show them that no one could be driving the car. The car started suddenly and drove down the bridge towards us.

We all started running in the other direction until the speed of the car forced us to jump over the bridge to avoid becoming road kill.

0o0o0o


	3. Chapter 2: Pilot Part 2

Chapter 2: Pilot Part 2

I was hanging on to the side of the bridge and saw Sam pull himself up.

"Dean?" Sam called out. He inched himself across the bridge and pulled me up.

"Dean?" I now called out.

We looked down across the river and saw Dean crawling out, mud and water dripping from his hair and clothes.

"Hey, are you all right?" Sam asked.

Dean gave them an 'AOK' and nodded. "Yeah, I'm super." He replied sarcastically. My heart fluttered a little. Thank God he was okay. I couldn't figure out why he couldn't have held himself up. Sam and I had managed. Although, I saw when Dean took off the bridge that he really propelled himself foreword. So maybe that had something to do with why he ended up taking the swan dive, as he had mentioned earlier.

When we all got back up on the bridge Dean was looking over his car, making sure there were no dents and stuff.

"Car all right?" I asked as Dean frantically looked over it.

Dean nodded. "Yeah whatever she did to it, it seems all right now. That Constance chick—what a bitch!"

"Well she doesn't want us digging around, that's for sure. So where's the trail go from here, genius?" Sam scrunched his nose and I suppressed a giggle. "You smell like a toilet." Sam added.

I burst out laughing and Dean looked at me. "You think that's funny?"

I nodded and covered my mouth, trying not let out a fit of giggles.

Dean nodded walking towards me. "Keep laughing, I'll hug you."

I suddenly got very serious and motioned to his car. "You're driving. I'm not having you sit in the back and mess up the seat for me."

0o0o0o0o

We arrived at a motel and Dean smacked a card down on the desk.

"One room please."

The man at the desk inspected the credit cars. "You guys having a reunion or something?"

We all gave him blank stares and I thought the cards had been figured out.

"That other guy, Bert Aframian. He came in and bought out a room for the whole month."

"You think it was dad?" Sam asked as they headed out to his room to check it out.

Dean stopped outside the room and looked at Sam. "No. It was the actual Bert Aframian." He said sarcastically.

I giggled slightly and Sam glared at me. "Come on, let's go."

I headed to the door first but let Dean enter before me.

Dean turned on the light in the room while I looked over the newspaper clippings. Sam was looking around the floor and the room in general.

"I don't think he's been here for a couple days, at least." Dean said picking up a half eaten hamburger and sniffing it. I grimaced, why would you pick that up anyways?

Sam was looking over the floor. "Salt, cats-eye shells. He was worried. Trying to keep something from coming in."

"Centennial Highway victims." I said looking over the clippings. "I don't get it. I mean different men, different jobs, ages, ethnicities. There's always a connection, right? What do these guys have in common?"

"Dad figured it out." Sam said suddenly. "He found the same article we did. Constance Welch, she's a woman in white."

"You sly dogs." Dean said.

"So all these guys got killed because they were pigs and couldn't keep it in their pants?" I asked disgusted.

Sam smiled slightly. "Something like that."

"All right, so if we're dealing with a woman in white, dad would have found the corpse and destroyed it." Dean said. "Does it say where she's buried?" he asked.

Sam shook his head. "I can't tell. Although her husband might know, if he's still alive."

Dean nodded. "All right, why don't you see if you can find an address. I'm gonna get cleaned up."

I smiled. "And I thought you were going to stay that way. We'd need an air freshener for the car."

Dean rolled his eyes and Sam stopped him. I knew the apology would come from him first; Dean's always so damn stubborn.

" Hey Dean--What I said earlier, about mom and dad, I'm sorry."

Dean stopped him from going further. He has a problem with people letting him know his feelings too. Unless its anger, then its all downhill from there. " No chick flick moments."

" All right, jerk."

" Bitch."

And Dean turned to head into the bathroom.

"You two are always so mature when you are around each other. Did I ever mention that?" I asked sitting on the bed.

Sam sat next to me. "How have you been?"

I shrugged. "I've been okay. Just traveling and working with Dean. You should cut him some slack ya know. He's really worried about your dad, even if he doesn't show it. He can't help it that anger is the only emotion he's good at showing."

Sam nodded. "I'm just tired of him hating a normal life."

"He's never had one Sam. You can't blame him for not wanting something he doesn't know."

Ten minutes later Dean emerged from the bathroom.

"Hey guys, I'm starving. I'm gonna grab a little something to eat at that diner down the street. You want anything?" Dean asked us and he slipped on his leather jacket.

"No." Sam said. His cell started ringing and he picked it up and mouthed 'Jessica' to us.

"You want me to come with?" I asked and Dean shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I'll get you a coffee though."

I smiled nodding. "Thanks."

Dean grinned. "Don't thank me, Aframian's buying."

Dean left and I looked around the room, overhearing Sam's conversation with Jessica. I felt awkward listening to it, because I was pretty sure I was starting to have feelings for him. I shook my head trying to clear the thought and walked outside, seeing if Dean had left yet.

He hadn't but he was turning around and calling someone on his phone. I glanced behind him and saw two cops walking towards him. I turned just in time that no one saw me head back into the room and overheard Dean asking the cops if there was a problem.

"Cops are outside." I said, quickly shutting the door.

Sam was closing his phone and gathering one of the bags. "Yeah, I know. Dean just called. We have to take off."

I nodded and glanced out the front window. "They're coming this way; we have to go out the back."

We snuck into the bathroom and shut the door. Luckily there was a window both of us could fit through. We hid between the buildings until the cops took Dean away and headed to the Impala.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. Let's just get out of here."

I hoped Dean would be okay. He always ended up pissing cops off more then going along with them.

0o0o0o0o

"Okay, I have an idea." I said to Sam as he was driving.

"And that would be…?"

"You go to talk to Constance's husband and I'm going to get Dean out."

"How are you going to do that?" he asked.

I smiled slightly. "I have my ways."

0o0o0o0o

My cell phone chirped loudly in the seat next to me and I smiled picking it up.

"Hi, Dean."

"Fake 911 phone call Andy? I don't know, that's pretty illegal.

"Yeah, you're welcome."

"Listen, we gotta talk." Dean started.

"Hold on, where are you right now?"

"I'm a few miles away from the police station. I'm near this pick up mart in a phone booth."

"Alright, I'm coming down."

I hung up and drove a few miles away from the police station and saw Dean standing outside the phone booth. I parked in the parking lot of the mart and waited for Dean to get in.

"Where's Sam?" he asked.

"I dropped him off at the husband's house. He just called me, we are dealing with a woman in white. She's buried behind her old house. So that should have been your dad's next stop. I just can't figure out why he hasn't destroyed the corpse yet."

"Well that's what I'm trying to tell you. He's gone. My dad left Jericho."

"What? How do you know?" I asked.

"I've got this." Dean said pulling it out of his coat.

"His journal." I said taking it from him. "He doesn't go anywhere without that." It felt like I should be holding this thing with a lot of reverence.

"Yeah, well he did this time."

"Anything new?"

"Same old ex-marine crap when he wants to let us know where he's going." Dean said rolling his eyes with frustration.

"Coordinates. Where to?"

Dean shook his head. "I'm not sure yet."

"I'm sorry Dean." I said quietly.

"What for?" he asked as I handed the journal back to him.

"That your dad's not here."

He shrugged but it looked like it took him a lot of effort. "We'll find him."

Dean's cell phone rang and he picked it up. "Yeah?" He flipped it on speaker so I could hear it to. Sam's voice came crackling through the phone.

"It's Sam, I'm heading over to Constance's old house."

Dean nodded and motioned for me to start up the car. I did so and pulled out of the parking lot.

"We'll pick you up where are you?"

We reached Sam about ten minutes later. He was walking down the side of the dirt road and got in the back seat.

I started to drive again until something flashed in the rearview mirror. I looked back in it and shook my head. It was just a reflection. But then when I looked back there was a woman in the middle of the road and I had to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting her.

"Whoa! Andy…" Dean was saying but suddenly the doors to the Impala were thrown open and Dean and I were thrown from our seats onto the road. And that's why we should have worn fucking seatbelts. But then again I'm guessing the spirit would have found away to pull us _and_ the seatbelts from the car. And that would have caused major whiplash.

I landed harshly on my shoulder, skidding a moment on impact. The doors shut by themselves and the car started and pulled away from them.

"Andy, you alright?" Dean asked, helping me up.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." Even though my shoulder hurt like hell.

"Come on we gotta get Sam."

Dean and I took off running after the Impala. Luckily, her old house was only a few minutes away. When we got there we snuck up to the Impala and Dean gave me a weapon, gun filled with rock salt, from his jacket. He had one for himself and I couldn't help but think where the hell he stored it all.

We heard Sam scream and blew a few gunshots through the window. But suddenly Sam sat up and he revved the engine…and drove it right into the house.

I looked to Dean and he looked like he was having a heart attack that his younger brother just drove his car into a freakin house.

"Sam!" Dean ran into the crashed open house, gun at ready. "Sam! You okay?"

Sam nodded. "I think."

"Can you move?" I asked him.

" Yeah. Help me."

Dean and I reached for Sam to help pull him out, as Constance picked up a picture of her and her children that was lying on the floor. Constance saw us helping Sam and suddenly a dresser was thrown against us, pinning us to Dean's car.

But that's when the lights start to flicker and we saw Constance move towards the stairs.

" You've come home to us mommy." Was all I heard and then Constance started screaming. I closed my eyes slightly as the room lit up with Constance disappearing and when I opened them again Constance was gone and there was a huge puddle on the ground. Sam pushed the dresser over and we went near the puddle.

"So this is where Constance drowned her kids." I said.

Sam nodded. "That's why she could never go home. She was too scared to face them."

"You found her weak spot. Nice work Sammy." Dean smiled and smacked Sam on the chest and Sam winced but started laughing.

"I wish I could say the same for you two. What were you guys thinking shooting Casper in the face, you freaks?"

"Hey, saved your ass." I said crossing my arms over my chest.

Dean nodded. "And I'll tell you another thing. If you screwed up my car, I'll kill you."

I started laughing. "Dean he just drove the thing through a house. You'll need to replace something."

Dean moved some wall debris of the hood of his car and I rolled my eyes when he started stroking the damn thing. "Don't listen to her baby…"

I got in the back seat and lay down. "Let's shag ass boys. I'm tired."

0o0o0o0o

"Okay here's where dad went. It's called Blackwater Ridge, Colorado." Sam said.

I rubbed my eyes trying not to fall asleep. "Sounds charming. How far?"

"About 600 miles." Sam said turning off the flashlight.

"If we shag ass we can make it by morning." Dean offered.

I opened my eyes all the way when he said that, I just hoped they didn't start fighting again.

"Dean, um…" Sam tried.

"You're not going." Dean said. It sounded like he couldn't believe it.

"The interviews in 10 hours, I gotta be there."

Dean nodded and looked back at the rearview mirror at me. I gave him a look that said 'let it go' and he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, whatever. I'll take you home."

When we got back to Stamford I had started to drift asleep. I couldn't help it. Dean was playing CCR and it was putting me right to sleep. Although when I'm tired, music usually does. It was probably better that way anyway. If Dean wanted to say something sentimental, he could think that I never heard it and continue being the hard ass he pretended to be.

"You'll call me if you find him?" I heard Sam ask.

Dean didn't reply so I'm guessing he just nodded.

"Hey would you tell her goodbye from me. And sorry that I didn't wake her to tell her." He added.

"Yeah I'll tell her. She'll be pissed as hell…but I'll tell her." Dean said.

"Maybe I can meet up with you guys later, huh?"

"Yeah, all right. Sam?" Dean paused and I hoped he just said something he meant to say for once.

"You know we made a hell of a team back there."

And I couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah." Was all I heard Sam say and Dean started the engine and pulled away.

"I know your awake back there." Dean said pulling the car over again.

I shook my head. "Barely."

"Awake for my lovely sentiment huh?"

I sat up and stuck my head in between the two seats. "You were so cute, I wish I would have had my camera."

Dean stuck his tongue out at me and just as he started the car the radio came on. But it wasn't playing CCR like it had been before, there was EMF lighting up the whole thing. And I could hear the EMF reader go off in the trunk.

I looked at Dean and the street lights started flickering.

"Sam." Dean said urgently getting out of the car. I started to move too but he looked back at me. "Stay here." He yelled and I slumped back in the car. Why wouldn't he let me help with anything?

I waited for five long minutes and then I got out of the car starting to head in. But then I saw one of the rooms on fire and there was no doubt in my mind that it was Sam's. I looked from the window to the front door worriedly. Where the hell were Dean and Sam?

Finally I saw them emerge and Sam was crying, pushing against Dean to get back into the building.

"No Jess!" he was screaming and now it clicked. I looked up at the window. Jess was dead, just like their mother had died.

"Oh Sam…" I whispered looking at Dean and Sam. I opened the Impala door and Dean sat Sam on the seat. He was crying harder than I've ever seen and I didn't care what awkwardness was produced, I knelt down and hugged him as hard as I could.

0o0o0o0o0o

The fire trucks came ten minutes later but by then there was no building to save. It was pretty burnt down and Dean and I stood among the crowd and looked back to Sam who was loading weapons in the back of the trunk.

We went to stand by him.

"We got work to do."

0o0o0o0o


	4. Chapter 3: Wendigo Part 1

Chapter 3: Wendigo Part 1

Nothing was said on the drive to Blackwater Ridge. Dean drove with the music off, Sam fell asleep and I just sat there. I felt numb. Something kept telling me that I could have done something to help Sam. To help Jess. But I knew that was just guilt playing with my emotions, there was nothing I could have done.

"You okay back there?" Dean asked me and I nodded but didn't respond.

Dean sighed and drove on. It was nearing noon and when we drove past Grand Junction, Sam jerked up in his seat. He was breathing heavily and I sat up looking at him.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Was all Sam said. It was bullshit. If he was going to lie, he had to do it better.

I nodded. "Another nightmare?"

Sam just cleared his throat and that was an answer enough.

"You wanna drive for a while?" Dean asked. I looked at him wide-eyed and Sam had the similar reaction.

" In your whole life you never once asked me that ."

"Just thought you might want to, never mind." Dean shook his head.

"I'll drive." I said sitting up from the back seat.

Dean shook his head. "Do we not remember the last time we were driving my baby?" he asked me. "You nearly broke the brakes to prevent hitting that Constance bitch."

"Sam drove your car into a house!" I retaliated sticking my tongue out at him. I sat back and looked out the window.

"Look guys, you're worried about me, I get it and thank you but I'm perfectly okay."

"Uh huh." I said unconvinced and Dean nodded in agreement.

Sam just shook his head and let it go. " All right…where are we?"

" We are just outside of Grand Junction."

Sam looked at the map. "You know what? Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon."

"Sam we dug around there for a week, we came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica…" Dean trailed off.

"We gotta find dad first." Sam nodded.

"Your dad disappearing, and this thing showing up again after twenty years, it's no coincidence. Your dad will have answers; he'll know what to do." I said trying to be helpful.

"There's nothing at those coordinates, it's just woods. Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?"

"We're at Lost Creek." I said glancing at the sign as Dean pulled into the dirt road. We went inside a cabin looking around the room. We intended on talking to one of the Rangers.

"So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote. It's cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place."

"Dude check out the size of this freakin bear."

I rolled my eyes at Dean's inability to pay attention for ten seconds and nudged him as a ranger came in.

"You guys aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?" he asked.

"Oh no sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper."

Sam lied really badly sometimes and Dean tended to add to it.

"Recycle, man." Dean responded putting one fist in the air.

"Bull. You're friends with that Hailey girl right?" he asked and I looked to Sam and Dean.

"Yes, yes we are, ranger…" He looked at the nametag. "Wilkinson." Smooth Dean.

"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater till the twenty-fourth. You tell that girl to quit worrying, I'm sure her brother's just fine."

Dean nodded. "We will. Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit you know so she could see her brothers return date."

Sam, Dean and I walked back out to the car with a copy of the permit and Dean started laughing.

"What are you cruising for a hook-up or something?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge so what are we waiting for, let's just go find dad. I mean why even talk to this girl?" Sam seemed on edge lately. I wanted to say something but it always seemed like the wrong time.

"I dunno maybe we should know what we're walking in to before we actually walk into it." I said obviously trying to point out something to him. I widened my eyes for a second at him but he didn't catch it.

"What?" he seemed annoyed with me so Dean took over.

"Well since when are you all shoot first ask questions later anyway?"

"Since now." Sam said. There was an edge in his voice. Something that told Dean and me he was trying to end the conversation. So we left it and drove to that girl Hailey's house.

0o0o0o0o

After Hailey's, and finally dragging Dean away from his really bad pick up lines, we headed to the bar to talk over what she'd said.

"So maybe her brother just lost cell reception." Something didn't feel quite right about this job. It was making me squirm inside and Dean noticed.

"What's wrong?" he asked me as we headed back to the table with drinks.

I shook my head. "This doesn't feel familiar to you?"

He shrugged. "No I guess not. Feels like any other job."

"I just feel…I don't know. Weird I guess. Maybe I'm just tired." I shook my head and placed the glasses on the table and took a seat next to Sam. Dean sat next to me and kept glancing at me. He reminded me of my father when he did that, stealing looks at me trying to see if I was ok. I looked at him and smiled slightly trying to get him to stop. I loved Dean to death, but I didn't need him to be my father.

"So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic, local campers mostly. But still, this past April two hikers went missing out there, they were never found." Sam said.

"Any before that?" Dean asked sipping his beer.

"Yeah eight different people all vanished in the same year. Okay watch this. Here's a clincher. I downloaded that guy, Tommy's, video to the laptop. Check this out."

Sam played Hailey's brothers video and it showed something running past him in the background really fast.

"Do it again." Dean said now looking closer at the screen.

Sam played it again and I stared at the screen. "That's three frames. That's a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move."

Sam nodded agreeing with me. "Yeah. I got one more thing. In '59 one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive."

0o0o0o0o

I nearly fell asleep while Dean and Sam went to go question Mr. Shaw. I hadn't been feeling well since I had woken up. As soon as I got in the backseat of the Impala I laid down and closed my eyes. The only thing that ever bothered me about being around these two all the time, no privacy. So if I was sick or upset or just wanted to be alone, I could basically forget it, Dean and Sam would be right next to me trying to figure it out or trying to make me better. So, I guess I couldn't really complain.

Sam reached back to wake me but I heard Dean stop him. "We'll only be five minutes, let her sleep. I don't think she's feeling too good." Thank God, I wasn't in the mood.

Sam seemed to back off and they got out. Although as soon as they shut the doors I realized I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep anyways. I sat up and waited for them to come back. I saw John's journal sitting in Sam's seat and I grabbed it and started to leaf through it. Maybe I could find something before Dean and Sam got back. After ten minutes or so I had found nothing, great hunter I turned out to be.

"…which means we can kill it." I heard Dean and Sam come back outside and I got out stretching my legs.

Dean opened the trunk and propped it open with a shotgun and saw me.

"How ya feeling?" Sam asked.

I shrugged. "I got a headache, but I'm okay. Ready for the hunt."

Dean nodded and put some pistols in a duffel bag.

Sam shook his head, watching Dean. "We cannot let that Hailey girl go out there."

"Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?" Dean asked sarcastically but apparently Sam didn't do sarcasm anymore.

He nodded seriously. " Yeah."

Dean wasn't amused, or swayed for that matter. "Her brother's missing Sam. She's not just gonna sit this out."

I nodded and Sam didn't look happy about it. "Dean's right. We go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator-friend."

"So Finding dad's not enough?" Sam asked angrily slamming the trunk. " Now we gotta babysit too?"

Dean and I just stared at him. This wasn't Sam. In all my life I'd seen some pretty scary things but Sam was actually scaring me.

"What?" he asked shortly. I guess he was tired of us looking at him like he was going to snap or break all the time. But the thing is he was.

Dean just shrugged and threw the duffel bag at him. "Nothing."

I shook my head and got back into the car. First we needed to protect this Hailey girl and find her brother. Then I'd worry about Sam.

0o0o0o0o

We showed up at the trail just before Hailey and the others left.

"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked.

"Wait, you want to come with us?" She looked confused.

"Who are these guys?" I didn't know who the hell that was but he was already getting on my nerves. The headache I had made everyone 10 times more annoying.

"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for search and rescue, Roy." She said smiling a little.

"You're rangers?" he asked unconvinced. So the jackass's name was Roy.

I just nodded. "That's right."

"And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans?" Hailey asked eyeing Dean.

"Well sweetheart, I don't do shorts." Dean said sweetly making that Roy guy seethe.

"What, you think this is funny? Its dangerous backcountry out there, her brother might be hurt."

Dean just looked at him. "Believe me, I know how dangerous this could get. We just wanna help her find her brother, that's all."

"Roy, you said you did a little hunting." Dean asked, leading the walk.

Roy was behind him and Hailey and her other brother, Ben, were in between and I leaned back with Sam.

Roy nodded. "Mostly buck sometimes bear."

"Tell me, uh…Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?" Dean said cockily and Roy grabbed him pulling him back. Sam and I stepped foreword as if we could attack him or something.

"Whatcha doin Roy?" Dean asked.

Roy put a stick into the ground making a bear trap go off under the leaves and grass.

"You should watch where you're stepping…ranger." He emphasized ranger and for once I wished we had pretended to be cops or friends of Hailey's brother.

Dean was pulled back as Roy started to lead the group.

Hailey looked at him sternly. "You didn't pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffel bag. You're not rangers so who the hell are you?"

Dean looked at us and nodded and Sam and I went ahead of them and let Dean tell her the story the way he wanted to tell it. Maybe for once he'd tell someone the truth.

"I'm worried about you Sam." I said after the silence crept in. It shouldn't have happened. Sam and I had been best friends for as long as I could remember.

He tried to shrug me off. "I'm fine Andy, don't worry about me." He looked at me and stopped walking, making me turn to face him.

"You feeling alright?" he asked me, looking concerned.

I shrugged. "Something about this whole hunt…and we don't even know what it is yet."

He put his one hand on the side of my cheek, letting it rest there for a moment. "You're warm." He said and I nodded and shrugged.

"It's a bit warm out."

Sam shook his head. "No it's chilly."

I shrugged again and shook my head. "Whatever, I'll be fine. I'm just getting a cold or something."

Sam put his bag down for a moment and took his jacket off and placed it over my shoulders. "Here, I don't want you to get worse while we're out here."

I smiled slightly, pushing my arms through the sleeves that were obviously too big for me. "Thanks Sam."

Maybe I was over reacting. This seemed like the old Sam, the one I knew. Or maybe he was just trying not to worry me. Maybe he wasn't alright at all.

0o0o0o0o

"This is it…Blackwater Ridge." Roy said as Dean joined the rest of the group.

"What coordinates do we have?" Sam asked.

Roy pulled out his GPS. "35-111." The same coordinates from their dad.

"Hailey, over here." Roy called seeing something off in the distance.

Everyone ran to Roy's voice and we came to their campsite. Or what was left of it anyway. There were tents and equipment torn open and covered with blood.

She placed hands over her mouth. " Oh my God…"

"Looks like a grizzly." Roy said and I rolled my eyes. How much people never knew…

Hailey started screaming for her brother and Sam tried to calm her down. He kept telling her that the thing might still be out there, but I understood how she felt. Her brother might have been alive and Sam was telling her to be quiet.

"Sam, Andy!" Dean called us over. "The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here the tracks just vanish. I'll tell you what…that's no skin walker or black dog."

Suddenly someone started screaming deep into the woods and everyone started to run off in the direction of it.

"It seemed like it was coming from around here didn't it?" Hailey asked coming to a short stop.

Sam looked around. The screams had completely disappeared. "Everybody back to camp."

We ran back but it was too late. All the packs were gone.

"What the hell is going on?" Hailey asked and I looked to Dean and Sam.

Sam went over to Dean and whispered something in his ear and I started walking towards them. Dean shook his head as Sam went down the path.

"Stay here and watch them. I'll tell you what's up when we come back."

I nodded and watched Dean walk down to Sam. Something didn't seem right; they were keeping something from me. I took one more look at the group and snuck down the hill to where they were standing.

"I've never even heard of a Wendigo this far west…" Dean was saying and I froze.

"Did you say a Wendigo?" I asked.

They turned around surprised to see me.

"Andy…" Dean started and I shook my head and interrupted.

"Don't Andy me. Is it the same one? The one that killed my dad?" I asked and my voice started to shake. I tried swallowing it; I hated showing them I was weak. It was incredibly possible for it to be the same one. This was the same area. Why hadn't Dean or Sam recognized that before? Maybe that had and didn't want to go jumping to conclusions about it until we had the information.

"It's unlikely…" Sam started.

"Did you ever kill it?" It was the only thing I wanted to know.

Dean shook his head and Sam looked at me sympathetically. It made me sick. "It got away." Dean stated. It sounded like he was trying to keep emotion from leaking into his voice. Trying to keep it all as business. But I couldn't do it.

"I…" Their faces were killing me. I couldn't think and it felt like air was trapped in my lungs. I walked away from them and farther down the pathway. I leaned against a tree trying to get my breath back. I heard someone walk down the path after me and I turned my head.

"You alright?" Dean asked.

I was glad it wasn't Sam. I didn't feel like I knew him anymore. But Dean had been there when Sam hadn't. He'd been the one constant thing in my life, someone I could count on.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be focusing on this. We have a job to do and those people are in danger." I tried pushing the job in front of my emotions. Like I was supposed to do.

But Dean wasn't making it easy. His normal rough voice softened. "You know Andy, in this situation you don't have to pretend you're strong."

He inched towards me and turned me around. His face softened to match his voice.

I nodded and bit my lower lip as a tear fell down my cheek. "Yes I do…" I tried saying. But my voice was shaking so bad I'm surprised Dean understood me.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. I rested my head against his shoulder and let a few tears fall.

"You gonna be able to do this?" he asked rubbing my shoulders.

I felt comforted so I nodded and held onto his jacket.

"Because you can take the car back to the motel."

"You're gonna let me drive your car?" I laughed slightly. "I really must look a mess."

He smiled and pulled away. "Well you always look a mess."

That time I did laugh and I rubbed my hand under my eyes. "Thanks."

He nodded, kissing my forehead and I froze. He always gave me a hug or touched my shoulder when I was upset but he'd never kissed me before. And the problem was I liked it. His lips were soft and warm against my forehead.

But I couldn't worry about that now, the job came first. When we walked back up the hill I could hear people arguing. No doubt it was Sam and Roy butting heads.

"You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you goodnight!" Roy was saying.

"Yeah? It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you, and it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here." Sam said angrily. It looked like a small smile was spreading across his lips. What the hell was happening to him?

Rot just laughed and stepped closer to him. "You know you're crazy right?"

"Yeah? You ever hunt a wen-" Roy pushed Sam in mid sentence and before Sam could retaliate Dean intervened.

"Chill out." Dean warned pushing Sam back.

"Stop; stop it, everybody just stop. Look, Tommy might still be alive, and I'm not leaving here without him." Hailey said looking from Sam to Roy.

"It's getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark." I said quietly. I knew Dean was looking at me. But I couldn't look at him without losing it again. "We need to settle in and protect ourselves."

0o0o0o


	5. Chapter 4: Wendigo Part 2

Chapter 4: Wendigo Part 2

We made a small campfire and Dean started drawing symbols on the ground from his father's journal with a stick.

"One more time that's…?" Hailey asked.

"Anasazi symbols. It's for protection. The wendigo can't cross over them." Dean said standing up.

Roy laughed and I turned to him and sneered. "Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy."

Dean looked at me and nodded towards Sam, who was sitting at the edge of the campsite. We headed over and Dean sat across while I sat right next to him.

"You wanna tell me what's goin on in that freaky head of yours?" Dean asked.

Sam shook his head. "Dean…

"No you're not fine, you're like a powder keg man it's not like you. I'm supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?"

I smiled at that but the situation wasn't one for smiles.

"Dad's not here. I mean that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?" Sam said. He sounded very tired.

"Yeah you're probably right. To tell you the truth I don't think dad's ever been to Lost Creek." Dean said honestly. I wondered how long he knew that.

"Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road, go find dad. I mean why are we still even here?" he was getting impatient.

"This is why…" Dean said holding up their dad's book. "This book. This is dad's single most valuable possession everything he knows about every evil thing is in here."

I nodded. "He passed it on to you. He wants you to pick up where he left off. Saving people, hunting things, your family business."

Sam shook his head. He looked frustrated and tired and my heart ached for him. Sam didn't deserve this. "That makes no sense. Why doesn't he just call us? Why doesn't he tell us what he wants; tell us where he is?"

Dean shrugged. "I dunno. But the way I see it, dad's giving us a job to do and I intend to do it."

Sam bit his lower lip and a tear fell down his cheek. I squeezed his forearm and moved it down to hold his hand. "Dean, no. I gotta find dad. I gotta find Jessica's killer. It's the only thing I can think about."

I rubbed his back with my other hand and I could feel him shift into me.

"Ok, all right, Sam we'll find them I promise. Listen to me, you've gotta prepare yourself. I mean this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul, it's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man." Dean said finally.

Sam smiled trying to keep his tears inside. "How do you do it? How does dad do it?"

"Well for one… them." I said looking over at Hailey and her brother. "I mean I figure other families are so screwed to hell; maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little more bearable."

Sam nodded and squeezed my hand and Dean got up and stood among the others.

"You alright?" I asked him and he nodded.

I was going to ask him something else but was interrupted by someone screaming again in the distance. We stood and joined Dean with weapons, not that it would do much good.

"He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put." Dean said preparing himself.

"Inside the magic circle?" Roy remarked and I turned and glared at him. Did this ass really want to die?

The screams broke off into growls and Roy shook his head. "Ok that's no grizzly."

I rolled my eyes and raised my weapon. At least he was on the damn right track now.

Sam yelled. "It's here!"

Roy shot and the Wendigo screeched. "I hit it!"

He started to run after it and Dean couldn't catch him fast enough. "Roy, no! Roy!" Dean turned looking at Sam, Hailey and her brother. " Don't move."

I took off with Dean after Roy and the Wendigo. I heard him yell that it was in the trees but by the time we got there Roy was gone and I heard branches breaking and bark snapping. I was hopping it was just my over reactive imagination and adrenaline; but I could have swore it was bones breaking.

0o0o0o0o

When I woke up everyone else was already up. I was definitely coming down with a cold. Which was odd seeing as how the weather wasn't so bad. I pinned it down to stress. The stress from knowing this case was different and knowing it had to do with my dad.

I found Sam leaning against a tree playing with something on his wrist.

"Morning." I said sniffling.

"Not feeling too well yet?" he asked, not looking up at me.

I nodded. "Eh, I'll be okay. What's that?"

He shrugged and tucked whatever it was back into the sleeve of his shirt.

"Was it…"

"Jessica's? Yeah it was. I gave it to her the night of our one year anniversary. She gave it to me before I left." Sam said softly and I squeezed his hand.

"You know Sam, Dean's right this is gonna be hard. And all that anger you can put it to good use. Use it to fuel you, to find your dad, to save people. But don't let it change you." I said softly.

Sam smiled and squeezed my hand equally. "You're a really good friend you know that?" he asked.

I smiled. "Of course I am." I said obviously. "Now let's go kill this thing."

Sam nodded and we headed over to where Dean, Hailey and her brother were standing.

"Hey. So we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I, for one, want to kill this evil son of a bitch." Sam said.

Dean smiled, happy to see Sam back in the game. "Well hell, you know I'm in."

They both looked at me. "Do we even need to ask me?"

"Ok so Wendigo is an Indian word. It means evil that devours."

"They're hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, other times a frontiersman or a miner or a hunter." Dean added.

"How does a man turn into one of those things?" she asked.

"Well it's always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help. Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp." I said starting to pace.

"Like the Donnor Party." Her brother spoke up. I think that was the first time I ever heard him talk.

"Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. Speed, strength, immortality." Sam said.

"If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry." Dean added looking over the group.

"So if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?" Hailey asked.

Dean glanced at me then back at her. "You're not gonna like it."

"Tell me." She sounded impatient.

"More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It uh, stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants." Dean said slowly and I felt disgusted as he went on. I kept wondering if that had happened with my dad. Had he been alive for months, eaten bit by bit? My stomach, at that point, wasn't handling it too well and I put hand over it. I wasn't even listening to the conversation anymore. Let them worry about this one.

"And then how do we stop it?" She asked.

"Well guns are useless so are knives." I said, but it was mostly to myself.

"Basically, we gotta torch the sucker." Dean finished and pulled out lighter fluid.

We all started hiking through the woods, following claw marks and blood stains on trees. Although halfway through Sam pulled Dean and me over to the side.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You know," Sam started, looking at the trees. "I was thinking…those claw prints…so clear and distinct, they were almost too easy to follow."

I looked around. He was right and not a second later we heard the damn thing give a long growl. Everyone backed up, looking around. I saw Hailey back up against a tree and blood was falling on her shirt. I tried to get her to move but it was too late and Roy's dead body fell from the tree, right on top of her. She rolled to the side and Dean and I looked at Roy while Sam helped her up.

"His neck's broke." Dean said looking at me. "We gotta run."

We heard another growl and we all took off, running in different directions but trying to stay together.

Hailey's brother, Sam and I collided and ran in one direction while Hailey and Dean ran another. Ben tripped and Sam picked him up and I heard Hailey scream. But by the time we got there Dean and Hailey were gone.

"Hailey!?" Ben screamed out.

I saw something white on the ground and I picked it up. It was Dean's lighter fluid. "Dean!!"

0o0o0o0o


	6. Chapter 5: Wendigo Part 3

Chapter 5: Wendigo Part 3

"If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?" Ben asked.

I shrugged. "Honestly, I think because Roy shot at it, pissed it off."

Sam nodded and Ben was looking around on the ground. He found some M&M's on the ground and picked them up. "They went this way."

I smiled taking it from Ben. "Dean was eating M&M's."

Sam laughed. "It's better than bread crumbs."

We followed the M&M's to this entrance to a tunnel. There were at least two signs on it and I smirked, 'Warning! Danger! Do not enter. Extremely toxic material.' We never did pay attention to 'Keep out: No admission' signs.

"Kind of smart really. Keep the victims in a place where people won't enter." I said, following Sam into the tunnel.

Sam nodded. We heard another growl entering the tunnel and backed up against one of the walls as the creature passed. Ben was squirming on the spot and I had to place a hand over his mouth to keep him from screaming.

"Hey, it's okay." I whispered to him and he nodded.

We walked a little farther and we ended up at the end of the tunnel.

"Sam look." I pointed through a dank passageway and there was Dean and Hailey tied to the ceiling.

Sam ran to Dean trying to wake him up. "Dean!"

Ben and I ran to Hailey, trying to get her down. "Hailey wake up!" Ben was saying.

"Dean!" Sam was shaking him now.

Dean must have opened his eyes because Sam was asking him if he was okay.

Hailey opened her eyes and I cut her down. Ben helped her up and I walked over to Sam and Dean. Dean shifted and leaned on me.

"You sure you're all right?" I asked, pushing him back to standing.

Dean grimaced in pain but nodded. "Yeah. Yep, where is he?"

"He's gone for now." Sam answered.

Hailey and Ben got up and saw someone hanging near them. "Tommy." Hailey said quietly.

Tommy jerked his head up and Hailey gasped.

"Cut him down." She said quietly, tears falling from her eyes.

I nodded and brought my knife out and cut him down.

"Check it out." Dean said motioning to something on the floor.

Sam and I looked. " Flare guns…those'll work." Sam said smiling.

We tried to head as quickly as we could to the end of the tunnel but we heard growls coming.

Dean looked around. "Looks like someone's home for supper."

"We'll never outrun it." I said looking at Hailey and Ben holding their brother up.

Dean looked back at Sam and me. "You guys thinking what I'm thinking?"

Sam and I nodded. "Yeah I think so." I answered.

"All right listen to me. Stay with Sam and Andy, they're gonna get you out of here."

"What are you gonna do?" Hailey asked.

I smiled as Dean winked at Hailey and moved foreword. "Chow time you freaky bastard! Yeah that's right, bring it on baby, I'm feelin good." Dean started screaming. I shook my head, my smile growing, as Dean yelled louder. "Hey! Hey you want some white meat bitch!? I'm right here!" He was always good at being bait.

We moved as fast as we could but the Wendigo cornered us.

"Get behind me." Sam said but I shook my head as the damn thing reared it's ugly head.

I saw Dean coming up behind it but I shook my head at him and he just stood there. The thing turned around and roared at Dean.

"Hey!" I screamed at it. It turned and I shot it straight in the chest with the flare gun. It screamed and burst into flames.

"Not bad, huh?" I asked and Dean smiled.

0o0o0o0o0

When we got back near the Impala and the road an ambulance and police cars were showing up. They hauled Tommy into the car and Ben was telling the police about the 'grizzly' that attacked us.

"So I don't know how to thank you." Hailey said staring at Dean.

Sam and I leaned against the Impala. "I'm sure Dean knows how to thank her." I whispered to Sam and he grinned.

We heard Hailey ask Dean and if he had to cheapen the moment and Dean of course nodded.

"I hope you find your father." Hailey said and Dean nodded in thanks. She kissed his cheek and got in the ambulance with her brothers.

"Man I hate camping." I said as Dean joined us.

Sam nodded. "Me too."

"You did a great job today Andy. Your dad…he'd be proud of you."

I smiled at Dean and looked to Sam and he nodded as well. "Thanks guys and Sam, you know we're gonna find your dad, right?"

Sam looked to Dean and I. "Yeah I know…but in the mean time…I'm driving."

Dean rolled his eyes. "The hell you are."

I laughed. "Dean let him drive your car, or I'm going to."

Sam smiled. "I'd be careful Dean. You're pickin the less of two evils here."

"Why can't I drive my own car?"

"Because _I _saved the day today." I smiled. "So I get to pick."

Dean tossed the keys to Sam and we all got in. Dean taking the backseat this time while I sat in the passenger.

"I've never even seen the back of this car. I never sit back here." Dean grumbled.

"Get used to it." I said turning around in my seat. "Because as long as Sam's driving, I'm sitting up here."

Dean griped again and Sam started the car. We were on the road again.

0o0o0o


	7. Chapter 6: Phantom Traveler Part 1

thank you for everyone who gives me amazing reviews and encouragments:D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 6: Phantom Traveler Part 1

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I glanced over at the digital clock next to the bed. It was nearing three am. I shook my head and finally just got up and put some jeans on. It was the fourth night that I hadn't been sleeping all the way through. And as long as the boys thought I was getting a full night, it was good enough for me. I didn't need to worry them with my insomnia, and that's probably all it was. I took a walk outside for a while and waited for it to get around five and showed back up at the motel again. Sam wasn't there and Dean was face down in a pillow. Sam probably went out to get coffee and I hope he didn't grab breakfast as well.

"What are you doing up?" Dean asked, rolling around to lie on his back. Damn, I hated to admit it, but the boy did look nice with just a t-shirt and boxers on.

"Making breakfast." I said motioning to the bag.

Dean grimaced. "Ya know, I don't think food from the diner last night heated up can be considered breakfast."

I smiled throwing the bag at him. He caught it easily and looked inside. "Good think I grabbed it at the gas station this morning."

Dean pulled out a microwavable hash brown and sniffed it before popping it into his mouth. "And what time did you get this?"

I shrugged. "A little while ago."

Dean shook his head. "You lie as badly as Sam does."

Luckily Sam chose that moment to walk into the room. He smiled at me and handed me a coffee and Dean one also.

"Morning." He said.

"What time is it?" Dean asked suddenly curious.

"It's about 5:45." Sam said glancing at the clock.

He looked at us and at the digital clock like we were lying to him. "In the morning?"

"No, at night." I said sarcastically gaining a glare. I went over to sit next to him. "Ya know I should just place a sheet over top of the clock. That way you'd never know what time it is."

Dean ignored me and I smiled. That just meant he couldn't think of a good comeback. He'd think of one later and start the same conversation over again.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

Yeah, I grabbed a couple hours." Sam lied.

Dean called him right out on it. "Liar. 'Cause I woke up at three and you were watching' the George Foreman infomercial. Both of you were." He said now looking at me. "What is it with you two and not getting any sleep?"

"Hey, what can I say? It's riveting TV." Sam covered. I'd told Sam why I hadn't been sleeping much and I'm glad he hadn't told Dean. All he would do is get big brother on me and make me sleep during a hunt and I didn't want that. I didn't see him as my brother either.

Dean just looked at him. And Sam caved, at least for his part. "I don't know. A little while, I guess. It's not a big deal."

"Yeah, it is." Dean said nudging me.

I rolled my eyes. "You're not my father Dean and I'm fine." Although the edge in my voice was just proving his point.

"And we appreciate your concern—" Sam started trying not to start anything between Dean and me.

"Oh, I'm not concerned about you." Dean said nonchalantly looking at us both. "It's both of your jobs to keep my ass alive, so I need you sharp."

I rolled my eyes and Sam shrugged. Dean took a sip of coffee and looked at Sam seriously. "You still havin' nightmares about Jess?"

Sam sat down on the bed opposite of us. "Yeah. But it's not just her. It's everything. I just forgot, you know? This job—man, it gets to you."

"Well, you can't let it. You can't bring it home like that."

"How the hell are you not supposed to do that?" I asked. "This job cost us our family members, people we care about. How are we just supposed to let it go like that?"

Dean really made me angry sometimes. Especially when he acted like this job never scared the hell out of him. It was bullshit and we knew he was full of it. But he _still_ did it. He really knew how to make me angry.

"So, what…" Sam asked. "All this—it never keeps you up at night?"

Dean just shook my head and I sighed heavily. "Never? You're never afraid?" I asked unconvinced.

"No, not really."

Sam and I locked eyes and I nodded reaching to pull something out from under Dean's pillow. I twirled the knife in my hands and Sam smiled. Dean looked from the knife to me and took it back.

"That's not fear. That is precaution." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"Pretty big knife for being a precaution."

Sam shook his head at Dean. "Whatever. I'm too tired to argue."

Dean's cell started to ring and he reached over me to get it. I started day dreaming as he did. How did he smell that good from just waking up? Damn…was I in trouble.

"Oh, right, yeah, up in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, the poltergeist thing. It's not back, is it?" Dean asked. That snapped me from my thoughts.

I couldn't hear the guys answer but Dean's face looked relieved so I figured everything was okay.

"What is it?" Dean asked. The question was answered and Dean nodded. "Yeah alright, we'll meet you there."

Dean hung up and looked at Sam. "This guy dad and I helped out, Jerry Panowski, he needs to talk to us in person."

"Alright let me get a shower." I said standing.

"Oh, you're not going." Dean said.

I whipped my head right back around. "What? What do you mean I'm not going?"

Dean shrugged. "Until you tell me why you haven't been sleeping, you're getting some rest."

"Sam hasn't been sleeping either and you're not putting him on probation." I said angrily pointing to Sam. I didn't mean to point Sam out like that but it was true.

"Just let her come Dean." Sam said trying to keep the peace.

Dean shook his head, stubborn as a mule. A self righteous stupid mule. "Stay here."

"I can not believe you!" I didn't mean to scream either. It was nearing six and people in the other rooms were still asleep I'm sure. "I'm tired of you treating me like I can't do this job. Like all of a sudden because Sam's here, I'm not a part of this anymore."

"That has nothing to do with it and you know it." Dean said trying to keep his own cool in check.

"Whatever." I wasn't talking to him now. Not until he saw me as an actual adult. I went into the bathroom and slammed the door. I wasn't coming out and I wasn't telling them goodbye. I leaned against the sink and crossed my arms over my chest; not saying goodbye was something I was good at.

0o0o0o0o

They picked me up after they talked to Jerry. It had been at least two hours later. Sam explained everything that I missed but I just sat in the back and refused to answer him. Which I started to feel bad about, this wasn't Sam's fault.

"So what are thinking? A spirit?" I asked looking at Sam.

He shrugged. "Could be. Something made the plane crash and there was EVP on the cockpit voice recorder for United Britannia Flight 2485."

"Where are we heading to now?"

"Sit back and enjoy the ride." Dean said shortly.

"And like that chick Rihanna said, just shut up and drive Dean." I snapped.

Sam turned and answered me. "Getting ID's to see the wreckage."

I nodded and looked out the window. I was coming with them. I sure to hell hope they knew that.

0o0o0o0o

While Sam and I stood outside against the Impala, Dean finally came outside holding ID's in his hands.

"You've been in there forever." Sam said.

Dean handed us the cards. "You can't rush perfection."

"Especially if you're anything but perfect." I muttered.

Dean turned to retort but Sam interrupted. "Homeland Security? That's pretty illegal, even for us."

"Yeah, well, it's somethin' new, you know? People haven't seen it a thousand times." Dean said and everyone piled back into the car. "All right, so, what do you got?"

"Well, there's definitely EVP on the cockpit voice recorder." I said.

"Yeah, really? Couldn't have figured that." Dean said sarcastically.

"Whatever." I muttered sitting back in the seat. I couldn't stand Dean when he was like this. When he was an ignorant ass. He hardly ever was and I didn't want to deal with it.

"Listen." Sam said playing the audio on his laptop. After a moment of static and broken words a screeching voice called out 'no survivors.'

"No survivors? What's that supposed to mean? There were seven survivors." Dean asked.

"Maybe there wasn't supposed to be any." I muttered but I knew no one heard me. Neither of them heard what I said when they were in full work mode.

"So, what are you thinkin'? A haunted flight?" Dean asked.

"There's a long history of spirits and death omens on planes and ships, like phantom travelers." Sam said looking back at me for a moment. "Or, remember Flight 401?"

"Right—the one that crashed, then the airline salvaged some of its parts, put it in other planes, then the spirit of the pilot and co-pilot haunted those flights."

"Right. So what survivor you want to talk to first?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged and Sam looked back at me. "Andy?"

"Third on the list—Max Jaffey." I said.

"Why him?" Dean asked. I knew the only reason he was having a problem was because he was pissed with me. Pissed because I wouldn't follow in line like he asked. I didn't want him to treat me like I was his seven year old sister.

"Well, for one, he's from around here. And two, if anyone saw anything weird, he did." I answered.

"What makes you say that?" Again with the question. His voice wasn't as annoyed now, not that it irritated me any less.

"Well, Sam spoke to his mother, and she told us where to find him."

0o0o0o0o

We headed out to Riverfront Psychiatric Hospital and Max spoke with us.

"I don't understand. I already spoke with Homeland Security." He said coming to a table and sitting down. We sat down around him.

"Right. Some new information has come up. So if you could just answer a couple questions…" Dean said ready to prod him with questions.

"Just before the plane went down, did you notice anything unusual?" I asked.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Strange lights, weird noises, maybe….voices?" Dean added. He sounded crazier than Jaffey did.

"No, nothing." He answered looking at Dean oddly.

"You checked yourself in here, right? Can I ask why?" I asked.

"I was a little stressed. I survived a plane crash." He was irritated and I suspected it was mostly because of my question so I just let Sam take over.

"And that's what terrified you? That's what you were afraid of?"

"I was delusional—seeing things."

"It's okay. Then just tell us what you _thought_ you saw, please."

He paused but then nodded. Way to go Sam, glad he had the puppy look. Because Dean was rough, he'd never be able to get stuff out of people like Sam could. "There was….this….man. And, uh, he had these _black_ eyes. He opened the emergency exit. But that's….that's impossible, right? I mean, I looked it up. There's somethin' like two tons of pressure on that door."

"And what did this guy look like?" I asked, trying to keep the supernatural down to minimum.

"Like any other normal guy. He sat in the seat behind me."

0o0o0o0o

"Here we are—George Phelps, seat 20C." Sam said looking out the window at the house.

"Hmm. Man, I don't care how strong you are. Even yoked up on PCP or somethin', no way you can open up an emergency door during a flight." Dean said getting out of the car.

"Not if you're human. But maybe this guy, George, was somethin' else—a creature maybe, in human form?" I asked, pushing the door closed.

"That look like a creature's lair to you?" Dean gestured to the house and I shrugged.

"Maybe it looks more threatening at night?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Who knew blue roof tiles and white picket fences could be so threatening."

"You know what I suddenly don't feel very well, I'm gonna sit this one out." I said climbing back into the car. Sam turned around on the steps and Dean didn't even stop. He continued right on up the stairs and waited for Sam.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

I nodded looking at Dean. "Yeah definitely."

They were just asking routine questions anyway, I could miss that. Plus Sam would tell me if I missed anything important. But I was pretty sure that if I would have gone into there with Dean, we would have started fighting. I just wanted it to stop; I missed him. Fooling around, making fun of really bad television, arguing over who got the last taco in the food plate we ended up ordering at diners. I just missed him. I was selfish that way.

0o0o0o

i hope everyone is enjoying it! please tell me your favorite episode or the one you'd like to see added. becasue i'm cutting some episodes out.(but only like two or three) D: like i cut dead in the water out. sorry! please let me know, thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 7: Phantom Traveler Part 2

thank you to all my reviewers! this ch. was written especially for **hinata-37**, becasue she's such a sweetheart :D thanks for reading and enjoy!

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 7: Phantom Traveler Part 2

"I mean, it goes without saying. It just doesn't make any sense." I heard Sam say, coming out from the Phelps residence.

I looked at my watch, it had only been about ten minutes. I guessed there hadn't been much information. I got out of the car and met them as they descended the stairs.

"What's up?" I asked.

But Dean just continued his conversation. "Yeah, a middle-aged dentist with an ulcer is not exactly evil personified. You know, what we need to do is get inside that NTSB warehouse, check out the wreckage."

"Hello?" I said waving my hands in front of their faces. "Geez, ignore me much?"

"Sorry." Sam said. "She basically had nothing. The worst her husband has ever experienced was acid reflux."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course. Now what?"

"Check out the wreckage." He looked to Dean now. "But if we're gonna go that route, we better look the part."

I nodded and they got in the car. I felt like I was in the way with this job, like they had to repeat everything they learned. I felt like I was annoying them, but maybe I was just imagining things. I was useful…or I was on other cases.

"Andy? You coming or what?" Dean asked sticking his head out the window.

I nodded and piled in the car. I really had no choice. These two were the only people I had left.

0o0o0o

We headed to 'Mort's For Style' for the guys to get some dress suits. I waited outside the car, aimlessly chewing on gum and looking through their dad's journal.

I couldn't help but grin as the boys came out in suits.

"Wow…you guys look…" Damn good was coming to mind.

"Man, I look like one of the Blues Brothers." Dean complained fixing his collar.

"No, you don't. You look more like a seventh grader at his first dance." Sam said grinning. I reached up and fixed his collar and ran my hands down the front of his suit, getting out any annoying wrinkles.

"More like fourth grade really." Dean made a face at me.

"I hate this thing." He exclaimed.

"Hey, you want into that warehouse or not?" Sam asked. He smiled at me as Dean said nothing and got in the car. It was off to the evidence warehouse.

0o0o0o0o

"What ID do I get? FBI?" I asked fixing my belt as Dean pulled into the parking lot.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, does Homeland Security come with FBI?"

Dean looked at me. "She doesn't have to leave the car."

I just looked at him. "How far away are we from the motel?"

"Oh let me check my mile counter." Dean added sarcastically.

"Dean, knock it off okay?" Sam said. He sounded tired and in all honesty so was I. I was tired of fighting with Dean.

"If you don't want me to go, just say it." I snapped.

"Look, whatever the hell is wrong with you two, you're going to have to put it on hold. We have a job to do okay?" Sam yelled at us both. Dean turned in his seat to look at me and I looked out the window.

"Okay?" Sam asked again.

"Yeah." Dean said and I nodded.

They started getting out of the car and Sam noticed I wasn't moving.

"You're not coming?" he asked.

"Apparently all I'm good for is sitting in the car."

Sam shook his head and shut the car door. I knew I was letting Dean get the better of me. I usually never went down in a fight like this. But this was different. I cared what Dean thought and what he said to me. I didn't think he knew that though; he was hurting me more than he knew.

0o0o0o0

A car pulled up beside Dean's about twenty minutes later.

"Uh oh." I muttered sinking down in the seat.

It was the actual Homeland Security guys and Dean and Sam were still inside. I pulled my phone out and dialed Sam's number as quickly as I could.

He picked it up as on the second ring.

"What?" he asked.

"You're gonna have a problem, real Homeland Security is here."

"Thanks." He hung up the phone.

I hoped that had been enough time for them to find something and to get out of there. But maybe I spoke to soon, an alarm started going off.

0o0o0o

I jumped in the front seat and jump started the car. Dean could yell later. I went around the side of the building and sure enough there they were running like idiots towards the gates. Good thing they had those suits on, Dean used the jacket to place over the gate so they could jump over it.

"Come on!" I yelled out the window.

"Huh. These monkey suits _do_ come in handy." Dean said shutting the door to the passenger side.

"If you ripped it they won't let you return it." I said casually making Dean glare.

"Just drive the car." He said pointing.

I nodded, a small smile playing on my face. "Aye, aye sir."

0o0o0o

Dean and Sam said they found some type of substance on the crash parts so we headed to tell Jerry. Maybe he could figure out what it was and we could see what we were dealing with.

"Andy!" Jerry said giving me a big smile.

"Hi Jerry." I said a smiling going to hug him.

We gave each other a big hug. "I haven't seen you in forever hun. How have you been?"

I looked to Dean and shrugged. "I guess I've been better. We found something we need you to take a look at."

Jerry nodded and he put a small piece of the wreckage underneath a microscope.

"Huh. This stuff is covered in sulfur." He said looking up.

"You're sure?" I asked from my chair.

"Take a look for yourself." I nodded and got up to look but Dean got there before me. I rolled my eyes, sitting back down.

There was some employee yelling in the hallway and Jerry excused himself to go yell at him…or fire him. He wasn't clear on which.

"You know, there's not too many things that leave behind a sulfuric residue." Dean said. I pushed him out of the way to look myself.

"Demonic possession?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "It would explain how a mortal man would have the strength to open up an emergency hatch."

"If the guy was possessed, it's possible."

"Yeah, but this goes way beyond floatin' over a bed or barfin' pea soup. I mean, it's one thing to possess a person, but to use 'em to take down an entire airplane?"

"You ever heard of somethin' like this before?" Sam asked looking at us both.

I shook my head. "Never. Looks like we have some research to do."

0o0o0o0

We headed back to the motel and researched for a few hours. Sam was at his laptop, Dean was hanging up clips of newspaper and I was sitting on the bed reading.

Sam clicked on a link on his laptop. "So, every religion in every world culture has the concept of demons and demonic possession, right? I mean Christian, Native American, Hindu—you name it."

"Yeah, but none of 'em describe anything like this." I said speaking up.

"Well, that's not exactly true. See, according to Japanese beliefs, certain demons are behind certain disasters, both natural and man-made. One causes earthquakes, another causes disease."

I shrugged and looked at the book I was reading. I let them continue about plane crashes and beliefs and sprits attached to chaos. It was just better to not get in the way. Until Dean said something that I couldn't keep my mouth shut about. And I should have. It wasn't my place.

"I don't know, man. This isn't our normal gig. I mean, demons—they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. This is big. You know, I wish Dad was here."

"But he's not so you're gonna have to deal with it." I said.

I could see from the corner of my eye Sam looked up to see Dean's reaction. But I heard his anger before I saw it.

"You know what Andy? I'm tired of hearing your voice like its background noise." Dean snipped.

I stood and walked over to where Dean was standing and Sam stood also, like someone was going to start throwing punches.

"You wanna know what I'm tired of? You treating me like I can't do this job; like I'm seven! You're not your father Dean so stop giving me orders like you are."

I could see the anger on Dean's face and he was desperately trying to keep it at bay.

"I think I was right in thinking maybe it'd be easier if it was just two. Wouldn't have to worry about cleaning up your messes." Dean spat. "Like we had to clean up your fathers."

"Dean!" Sam yelled. "That's enough."

I shook my head, tears pooling in my eyes. Dean was _real_ mature sometimes; someone says something about your father and they turn around and throw something back about your own. At least his was still _alive_.

I took a huge breath and a tear fell down my cheek. When I looked at Dean I could tell he was sorry. He'd never made me cry before. Hell, this was the first time we had ever fought this bad.

"No Sam, if that's the way he really feels I'll just go." I grabbed my bag and packed it haphazardly. "You won't have to clean up any of my messes Dean."

"Andy, don't…" Sam tried to stop me but I slammed the motel door and headed down the stairs.

I shifted the bag onto my other shoulder and sat on the last step of the stairs. I heard the motel door open and close again and for a millisecond I hoped it was Dean. But that was wishful thinking, I knew how damn stubborn he was. Just like his father.

Sam came down the stairs and sat next to me. We sat there for a while. Sam just sat there glancing at the parking lot and me, occasionally he'd glance to see of someone was coming down the hallway to head down the stairs. I was too busy trying to keep composure and I kept thinking Sam wanted me to say something first, so I did.

"Was I really that horrible?" I asked.

Sam hadn't even heard me. "What?" he asked and leaned his head close to mine. He smelled like cologne, soap and just plain Sam. It was different from the way Dean smelled. He tended to smell like leather and cologne.

"Was I that horrible with hunting?" My voice was shaking with tears. "I wanted my dad to be proud of me…ya know?"

I started crying then; small tears making their way down my cheeks and onto my folded hands.

"Hey…come on…" Sam said tenderly, placing his arm around my shoulder. His hand rubbed up and down my arm. "He is proud of you Andy; you're one of the best hunters I know. You're dad taught you well, don't let anyone destroy that. Especially Dean."

I nodded and wiped my hands underneath my eyes, but it was useless. I didn't even know why I was so embarrassed. It wasn't like Sam hadn't seen me cry before.

"We're all tired and Dean's just frustrated. He didn't mean what he said alright?"

I sniffled. "Yes he did. I've been on the road with him long enough with him to know the difference. Don't try and apologize for him Sam."

Sam nodded and said nothing.

"I just wish my…my dad was here." I said my voice breaking. "I just wish I knew what to do, how to handle this damn job."

I broke off in frustrated sobs and Sam's other arm came curling around the front of me and pulled me closer to him.

"Shh." He said quietly. "It's okay, you'll be okay."

It took me a while to calm down; I hadn't noticed how much of a nerve Dean had hit. Sam sat there until I gained my composure, making jokes and trying to get me to smile. He was a real sweetheart; I'd forgotten that.

"You alright?" he asked and I nodded sitting up a little from leaning on him.

"Thanks Sam. Look I'm just going to get another room for right now."

"You sure?" he asked.

I nodded. "Can you just call me if you find anything? I'll be back to help with whatever it is I just…"

"Need a break? I understand what you mean. I love Dean to death too but he's like four year old. He can be a lot to handle."

I smiled, nodding, and leaned over and gave Sam a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again Sam."

He gave me a small smile and checked me into another room right next to theirs, with the credit card under Mr. Aberickle I might add, and headed back to help Dean. I lay back on the bed and waited for them to find some useful information.

Or for Dean to come and apologize.

0o0o0o0oo0

phantom traveler should be finsihed in the next chapter and then its on to: bloody mary

reviews and comments are very welcome:D


	9. Chapter 8: Phantom Traveler Part 3

hope you enjoy! sorry it took so long D: thanks for reading:D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 8: Phantom Traveler Part 3

Sam came and got me about a half an hour later because Jerry's friend Chuck Lambert died. He was the one flying the first plane that crashed and apparently he dove down another with him and another man inside.

"Sulfur?" Dean asked and Jerry nodded. "Well, that's great. All right, so, that's two plane crashes involving Chuck Lambert. This demon sounds like it was after him."

Jerry looked somber and Sam winced. "With all due respect to Chuck, um….if that's the case, that would be the good news."

"What's the bad news?" I asked. I could feel Dean's eyes on me but I didn't look at him. I just kept looking at Sam.

"Chuck's plane went down exactly forty minutes into flight. And get this—so did Flight 2485."

"Forty minutes? What does that mean?" he asked.

I nodded as the supernatural puzzle in my head started clicking its freaky pieces into place. "It's biblical numerology. On Noah's Ark, it rained for forty days. The number means death."

"I went back, and there have been six plane crashes over the last decade that all went down exactly forty minutes in."

"Any survivors?" Dean asked. Maybe I should have let Dean answer more often. He didn't look at me when he was talking to someone else.

"No. Or not until now, at least, not until Flight 2485, for some reason. And the cockpit voice recorder; remember what the EVP said?"

"No survivors." Dean said and Sam nodded. "Its going' after all the survivors. It's trying' to finish the job."

"We need to call the people and warn people on the rest of the list." I said moving towards the door. "Now."

0o0o0o0o

"Really? Well, thank you for taking our survey, and if you do plan to fly, please don't forget your friends at United Britannia Airlines. Thanks." I smiled as Sam continued the phone conversation. Leave it to Sam to think of the calling people with a fake online survey. "They're not flying' anytime soon." Sam said hanging up the phone.

"So, our only wildcard is the flight attendant, Amanda Walker?" I asked.

"Right. Her sister, Karen, said her flight leaves Indianapolis at 8 PM. It's her first night back on the job."

"That sounds like just our luck." Dean said sarcastically, turning right.

"Dean, this is a five-hour drive, man. Even with you behind the wheel." Sam mused, glancing at Dean. "I've already left Amanda three voice messages. She must have turned her cell phone off."

"We'll make it." Dean said stepping on the gas. I put my seatbelt on. Even with Dean behind the wheel accidents could happen. It was funny how seatbelts were never really an issue in the Impala; we never wore any. Which wasn't good. One wrong turn or stop and we could all get seriously hurt or worse. Then who'd fight demons? Our damn spirits?

We finally got to the airport and with thirty minutes to spare. If Dean knew how to do anything, it was how to drive that damn car of his.

Sam pointed to the flight times. "Right there. They're boarding in thirty minutes."

"Okay. We still have some cards to play. We need to find a phone." Dean said looking around for a pay phone.

Dean dialed the operator. "Hi. Gate 13—I'm trying to contact an Amanda Walker. She's a flight attendant on Flight 424."

I heard a murmur on the other line and I knew she picked up.

"Miss Walker." Dean answered. "Hi, this is Dr. James Headfield from St. Francis Memorial Hospital. We have a Karen Walker here." I rolled my eyes; of course Dean would pretend to be a doctor.

"Nothing serious—just a minor car accident. But she was injured, so—" Dean was saying but he got interrupted. "You what?"

As Dean continued his conversation. I glanced around the terminal at the people heading on planes with their families. I hadn't been on a plane before. My mom and dad went to California for their honeymoon, but that's all I ever heard of them traveling on a plane. I always wanted to go on vacation; to go on a plane.

"Damn it! So close." Dean yelled, hanging up the phone.

I turned back around and Sam sighed. "All right, it's time for Plan B. We're getting on that plane."

My head jerked to Dean. I knew this had been coming. I felt almost happy he was about to be filled with dread. Dean was terrified with flying; but he'd been a dirt bag lately so I didn't feel _too_ bad for him.

"Now, just hold on a second." Dean said trying to stall.

"Dean, that plane is leaving with over a hundred passengers on board, and if we're right, that plane is gonna crash." Sam said and I nodded.

"I know!"

I turned my head and grinned. This was _so_ worth how upset he had made me.

"We're getting on the plane, we need to find that demon, and exorcise it. Look, we'll get the tickets. You just go and get whatever you can out of the trunk, whatever will make it through security. Meet us back here in five minutes."

Dean didn't move and I couldn't help but smirk. "Are you okay?" I asked.

Dean scowled and gave me a hesitant answer. " No, not really…and you know why."

"What? What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Dean's allergic to flying." I said matter of factly. Maybe I was enjoying this a little too much. But after what Dean put me through this afternoon, I didn't care at the moment.

Sam just looked at him. "Are you kidding me?"

Dean looked at his brother incredulous and shrugged. "It's never really been an issue until now."

"You're joking, right?"

Dean seemed to be panicked. "Do I look like I'm joking? Why do you think I drive everywhere, Sam?"

"Um, all right. Uh, we'll go." Sam said pointing to himself and I and I nodded." We'll do this one on our own."

"What are you, nuts?" Dean said in an angry whisper. "You said it yourself, the plane's gonna crash."

"Look, Dean, either we all do it, or Andy and I can do this. I'm not seeing a third option here."

"Come on! Really?" Dean sighed, defeated. "Man."

We boarded the plane and took our seats. I was in the middle while Dean was in the aisle seat and Sam took the window. Dean started nervously tapping his feet and looking through the emergency exit booklet before we even took off.

"Just try to relax." Sam said leaning over me.

"Just try to shut up." Dean snapped.

Sam and I looked at each other and laughed quietly.

When the airplane took off Dean was death gripping the arms of the seat and leaned his head back to close his eyes. He was humming something but I couldn't figure out what it was. I leaned in close to him and realized that I could have sung along.

"Are you humming Metallica?" I asked.

"It calms me down." Dean said quickly.

"Look, man, I get you're nervous, all right? But you've got to stay focused." Sam said leaning over me again.

Dean was just trying to get us to leave him alone. "Okay."

I nodded, whispering. "I mean, we've got thirty-two minutes and counting to track this thing down, or whoever it's possessing, anyway, and perform a full-on exorcism."

"Yeah, on a crowded plane, that's gonna be easy." Dean added cynically.

" Now, who is it possessing?" Sam asked looking around at the passengers.

Dean seemed more comfortable when his mind was focused on his job. "Well, it's usually gonna be somebody with some sort of weakness, you know, a chink in the armor that the demon can worm through—somebody with an addiction or some sort of emotional distress."

I shrugged. "Well, this is Amanda's first flight after the crash. If I were her, I'd be pretty messed up."

"All right, well…" Dean looked behind him at a flight attendant filling her cart. "I'll go talk to her and, uh, I'll get a read on her mental state."

"What if she's already possessed?" Sam asked.

Dean reached into a bag under him. "There's ways to test that. I brought holy water."

I rolled my eyes and took the holy water from him. "You're not gonna dowse her with holy water you idiot."

"No, I think we can go more subtle. If she's possessed, she'll flinch at the name of God."

"Oh. Nice." Dean said getting up.

"Hey." Sam called him back.

"What?" asked annoyed.

"Say it in Latin. In Latin, it's "Cristo"."

Dean shook his head. "Dude, I know, I'm not an idiot!"

I shrugged looking at Sam. "You never really know with him."

Sam smiled. "How are you doing with all this?"

"Well seeing as I've never been on a plane before, I'm okay. But knowing that and the fact that it might crash…eh, could be better. But we'll get it. I have faith." I said looking at him.

He nodded and placed his hand on mine for a moment. I hadn't even realized I was gripping the seat just as badly as Dean had been. "Okay…maybe I'm a little nervous. But not nearly as bad as that spaz back there."

Sam laughed and looked up to see Dean approach us and sit down again.

"All right, well, she's got to be the most well-adjusted person on the planet." He said putting his seatbelt back on.

"You said "Cristo"?" I asked.

"Yeah. There's no demon in her. There's no demon _getting_ in her."

"So, if it's on the plane, it can be anyone….anywhere." Sam said looking around again. The plane jerked up and down from turbulence and Dean slammed his hand down suddenly on the arm rest where my hand was.

"Ow!" I said pulling my hand back.

"Come on! That can't be normal!" Dean said, not even noticing he probably broke one of my fingers.

"You alright?" Sam asked and I nodded and he looked to Dean. "It's just a little turbulence."

"Sam, this plane is going to crash, okay? So quit treatin' me like I'm friggin' four!" Dean said alarmed.

"You need to calm down." Sam warned, trying to calm him.

"Well, I'm sorry, I can't!" he strained.

I massaged my hand and Sam nodded, trying to reassure him. "Yes, you can."

Dean rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed and frustrated. "Dude, stow the touchy-feely, self-help yoga crap, it's not helping!"

"Listen to me, you're panicked, you're wide open to demonic possession, so you need to calm yourself down right now." I said, pushing Dean to lean back in his seat. He looked at me for a moment and paused before letting out a long breath.

"Good." Sam said. "Now, I found an exorcism in here that I think is gonna work—the ritual Romano." He said opening to a page in their dad's journal.

"What do we have to do?" Dean asked.

"It's two parts. The first part expels the demon from the victim's body. It makes it manifest, which actually makes it more powerful." He answered skimming over the pages. "It won't need to possess someone anymore. It can just wreak havoc on its own."

"And why is that a good thing?" I asked.

"Well, because the second part sends the bastard back to hell, once and for all."

"First thing's first." Dean said pulling out his EMF meter and placing headphones in it. "We've got to find it."

After Dean walking up the aisles, waving the EMF at people like a retard, we met at the front of the plane.

"Anything?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head and pulled the headphones from his ears. "No, nothin'. How much time we got?"

"Fifteen minutes. Maybe we missed somebody." Sam said.

"We had to of, otherwise…"

"Maybe the thing's just not on the plane." Dean said, taking the words from my mouth.

"You believe that?" Sam asked sarcastically.

Dean looked like he was contemplating it. The guy would have believed in fairies if it would have gotten him off that plane. "Well, I will if you will."

Suddenly, the EMF meter began to beep frantically. The co-pilot of the plane came out of the restroom and smiled at us.

"Cristo." Dean whispered as he turned his back to us. But he froze and cringed and turned back, his eyes completely dark.

"Yatzee." I whispered.

0o0o0o0o

"She's not gonna believe this." Dean said walking towards the back of the plane.

"Twelve minutes, dude." Sam answered pointing to his watch.

"Oh, hi. Flight's not too bumpy for you, I hope."

I smiled and shook my head. Amanda was nice, pretty too. It was a shame she was going to have to understand the whole, 'demons are real speech' Sam liked to tell people. She'd never look at a lot of things the same.

"Actually, that's kind of what we need to talk to you about. This is gonna sound nuts, but we just don't have time for the whole "The truth is out there" speech right now."

Her eyes got so wide that I thought they'd pop from their sockets.

"We've spoken to some of the other survivors. We know something brought down that plane, and it wasn't mechanical failure." Sam said quickly. We had less then ten minutes.

"And we need your help because we need to stop it from happening again, here, and now."

They were scaring her, I could tell. She started stammering. "I-I'm sorry, I'm very busy."

She tried to leave but Dean stepped in front of her. He was scaring the crap out of her and she was going to yell and run in the other direction. Not that it would do a lot on a plane.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second. I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?" Dean said trying to calm her. "But listen to me—the pilot from 2485, Chuck Lambert—he's dead."

I would have slapped him if the situation wasn't dire. You don't tell someone who's scared out of their wits that someone just died; especially if it was someone they knew.

Amanda looked at us strangely. "Wait, what? Chuck is dead?"

"He died in a plane crash. Now, that's two plane crashes in two months. That doesn't strike you as strange?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded. "Look, there was something wrong with 2485. Now, maybe you sensed it, and maybe you didn't, but there's something wrong with this flight, too."

And you certainly shouldn't tell them that something was wrong with _this_ flight too.

They looked at her expectantly and she nodded running a hand over her face. "On….on 2485, there was this man. He….had these eyes."

Sam nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what we're talking about."

"But I don't understand. What are you asking me to do?" she asked.

I looked at her. "Get the co-pilot. We need you to bring him back here."

"Why? What does he have to do with anything?" Her voice was shaking. Luckily we were a hundred some odd feet in the air; otherwise she would have called the cops. If Dean and Sam came up to me and started talking to me about stuff like this, I would have been freaked out too. But I didn't have that luxury anymore.

"Don't have time to explain. We just need to talk to him, okay?" Dean said trying to hurry things up.

"But how am I…" she tried and I stepped foreword interrupting her. I didn't mean to be a bitch about it, but we didn't have time to change my attitude.

"Look it's a long boring story we can't get into right now. We just need to talk to him. Try anything; tell him something's broken back here. Anything that will get him out of that cockpit."

"Do you know that I could lose my job if—" I rolled my eyes. She seemed a bit snooty now. I guess she couldn't comprehend that she'd be losing a hell of a lot more if she didn't help us. She'd be losing her life…forget her damn job.

"You're gonna lose a lot more than that if you don't help us out." Dean added desperately; like he'd read my mind. Or at least he sounded desperate. It was kind of nice to hear him that way; horrible I know, but nice. It reminded me that this job stressed him just as much as it did Sam and me.

She nodded and said okay. She left and Dean passed out duct tape, holy water and handed the journal to Sam. I was nervous and I was pretty sure my knees were shaking. I was terrified that we wouldn't be able to do anything and that the plane would fall. I couldn't handle my fathers face full of failure on the other side. If there was another side. I was getting distracted and Sam nudged me to pay attention. She'd gotten the co-pilot and was heading back.

Show time.

0o0o0o0o

As soon as the co-pilot entered the back and Sam pulled the curtain across the area, Dean came out of nowhere and sucker punched him to the floor. Before the demon could do or say anything Dean taped his mouth.

Amanda, needless to say, was flipping out. "What are you doing? You said you were just gonna talk to him!"

"We _are_ gonna talk to him." Dean stressed trying to push him further on the ground while he thrashed. Sam covered him in holy water and his skin sizzled. He screamed against the tape and Amanda started thinking he had a disease or something.

"Oh, my God, what's wrong with him?" She asked placing a hand over mouth.

I stood and walked over to her trying to get her to stop looking at Dean and Sam wrestling the co-pilot to the ground.

"I need you calm. We need you outside the curtain. Don't let anybody in, okay? Can you do that?" I put my hand on her shoulder but she said nothing. "Amanda?" I shook her.

She started to panic but she nodded nonetheless. "Okay. Okay."

She left and I hurried down next to Dean and held down the demon's shoulder.

"Hurry up, Sam. I don't know how much longer I can hold him." Dean yelled struggling. I put down all my weight on the shoulder. Not that it helped much, I didn't weigh enough to make a difference.

Sam began the Latin chant from the journal and the damn demon still tried pushing us off. I must have leaned wrong because the demon screeched and jerked, or maybe because Sam was reading the Latin. Whatever the problem the demon jerked strongly towards me and pushed me off. The force was strong enough to send me across the room and into the wall.

"Andy!" Dean yelled and the sudden distraction gave the demon time to knock the holy water from Sam's hands and send Dean into the wall next to me.

My back was throbbing and I felt Dean's arm wrap around me to pull me up. I couldn't worry about how uncomfortable that made me feel; like he couldn't friggin' remember how mad I was at him. The co-pilot ripped the duct tape off his mouth and grabbed Sam's shirt.

"I know what happened to your girlfriend!" The demon screeched. Sam's face was shocked and my eyes grew wide. "She must have died screaming! Even now, she's burning!"

Dean and I dove for the co-pilot pushing him back onto the floor. I wrapped the tape back around his mouth and Dean threw a punch hitting him straight in the jaw.

I shook Sam's shoulder. "Come on, Sam!"

A moment later Sam picked up the journal and began reading in Latin again. He finished and helped us hold him down.

"I got him!" Sam yelled and the demon started screaming again. I guess it would hurt like hell if your soul got ripped from your body. As the pilot started flailing he kicked the journal into the aisle.

"Sam the journal!" I struggled and Sam looked to the aisle.

I was pushed back again as the demon left the pilot's body. I fell harshly on my elbows and Dean stood as the pilot laid there motionless. At least he was alive. I groaned and made a mental note that it's not a good idea to use your elbows to break your fall.

"Where'd it go?" Sam asked, helping me up. I was glad Dean was _so full_ of chivalry. One time he helped me up and then he was done.

"It's in the plane." Dean said looking at the ceiling. "Hurry up; we've got to finish it."

Sam went to retrieve the journal. But as soon as he got to the curtain the demon unleashed its fury and the plane began to fall. Dean was thrown against the wall and I lost my balance and fell right on top of him. He started screaming and I did the same. It felt like my insides were falling out. That sinking feeling when you get when you fall was ten times worse. I could hear passengers reacting the same way Dean and I were as Sam made his way to find the journal.

I clutched to Dean's jacket and I could feel his arm wrapping around my shoulders. If we were going to die, I wasn't going to stay mad at him. It was petty and I was so tired of being pissed at him; even if he deserved it.

I could see a little past the curtain and Sam was scrambling to kneel, hopefully with his dad's journal. After a few moments I heard the last of the incantation being yelled and the plane stopped falling and I could feel it start gaining altitude again. I breathed a sigh of relief and I noticed that all the screaming had stopped. I looked up and Dean looked down. He looked relieved and I felt his arm tighten around me thankfully. I shook my head and shook his arm off, he looked disappointed, but I really didn't care. He'd have to apologize like he should have. He wasn't getting off with his good looks and cocky personality. Not this time.

0o0o0o

"Let's get out of here." Dean said heading back to the Impala. I stayed back and walked with Sam. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You okay?" I asked and he stopped.

"Andy….it knew about Jessica." His voice was shaking and for a moment I thought I saw tears form in his soft eyes.

"Sam, these things—they read minds. They lie, all right? That's all it was." I said trying to comfort him. But I knew it wouldn't work, I knew demons tended to lie with the truth sometimes. It's how they got under your skin; made you rattled. And that's exactly what it did to Sam. I leaned into him and gave him a small hug which he took gratefully and we all piled in the car.

We talked to Jerry one more time before we left and he mentioned that their dad had given him Dean's number. Dean called his cell and low and behold his dad's voicemail had changed. It told anyone who called that if they were in trouble to call Dean. Dean looked plain pissed and Sammy looked near tears again. We were all silent as we headed to the gas station before we went back to the motel. I wouldn't dare mention I thought it was a bit noble their dad said to call Dean; but then again I probably didn't know what the hell I was talking about. I just felt like their dad was trying to tell him how much he depended on him to take over this job. He didn't understand how great it was for his father to give him that type of responsibility. He was saying that when someone was at the end of their rope, they needed someone that they could count on; and Dean was that person. Someone who'd protect them no matter what. I wanted to tell Dean that. But we weren't exactly on speaking terms right now.

"Still not speaking to each other?" Sam asked smacking me from my thoughts.

We were at a gas station. I had gotten breakfast from there this morning so I knew we weren't far from the motel.

I shook my head. "Its harder than I thought it would be. You know how much he upset me…I made you sit through it."

He smiled at that. "Yeah, you're a blubbering idiot lately huh?"

I grinned and shoved Sam hard in the shoulder. "Shut up."

"Don't worry; I'll say something to him. He'll apologize…or he might lose you."

I nodded and rolled my eyes. "Right, because Dean's so scared of that."

Sam shrugged looking out the window at Dean filling the tank. "You'd be surprised Andy. He cares for you more than you know."

0o0o0o0o

I heard a knock on my motel door and sat up in bed. Glancing at the clock, and swearing at it, it was only 3:45 AM. It better have been good. I threw the covers back as the knocking became more insistent.

"Okay! I'm coming." I said irritated as I threw on a sweatshirt over my tank.

My heart skipped a damn beat. It was Dean.

"Hey." He said calmly.

"Do you wait till the most irritating time to wake someone? What do you want?" Damn I was tired. And as far as I knew, Dean and I weren't on good terms. Just because we managed to not fight the rest of the hunt and the ride back didn't mean we were okay.

"You did a nice job today. How's your back?" His tone seemed apologetic, like he was leading to an apology. His rough voice hid his intensions well.

It wasn't good enough for me. "I know. I told you I could do this job."

I ignored the question about my back completely. Honestly, it was killing me. My damn spinal cord was doing the rumba when I laid back on it and I'd probably have to sleep on my side tonight.

He looked down for a moment and then down the hall. "Can I come in?"

I was hesitant but I finally nodded. It was just Dean for Christ's sake.

I closed the door behind him and he stood looking around; like he didn't have the same motel room right next to me.

"Dean, it's the same room you have. What do you want?"

"Look…I don't know…I'm not sure how to…"

"Apologize?" I asked. Sammy really did a number on him. I'd have to thank him later. I crossed my arms over my chest. "There should be more groveling but you're on the right track."

He nodded and I let him continue. "Andy I'm sorry." He said slowly. Did my ears deceive me? Did Dean Winchester actually apologize for something he did and felt bad for? "I had no right to talk about your dad like that."

"You had no right talking about _me_ like that." I muttered looking at the floor. I heard his feet shuffle and he lifted my chin with his hand. He ran his thumb over my cheek like he was trying to catch the tears that he had caused earlier that day. I didn't know Dean like this; so personal and gentle. I liked him this way.

"I know, and I'm so sorry Andy." He said more tenderly and his eyes were filled with regret. I liked the way my name sounded when he said it. It sounded so much more than it really was.

I smiled and nodded. "No chick flick moments?"

He gave me that thousand watt smile. "Alright…bitch."

"Jerk."

He smiled again and kissed me on my forehead. He headed to the door and looked at me as he opened it.

"Oh, and tomorrow…none of this two room crap, you got it?"

I grinned and nodded. "Got it."

He nodded and shut the door behind him. I laid back on the bed, ignoring the pain in my back. I could feel my heartbeat rapidly in my chest and I sat up suddenly. Oh dear God….did I have a thing for Dean Winchester?

0o0o0o0oo0

:D bloody mary next :D okay with everyone? comments?


	10. Chapter 9: Bloody Mary Part 1

huh. i didn't get any reviews on the last one.i hope it was okay D:

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 9: Bloody Mary Part 1

I woke up around seven and wondered if Dean and Sam were up yet. No matter how thin you think the walls are you can't exactly put your ear up against it and tell if anyone's actually awake. I left the room after I slipped on some dark jeans and one of Sam's over sized t- shirts. I tiptoed as quietly as I could to Dean and Sam's room and put the key in the door. Luckily Dean had given it to me in case there was an emergency and I figured getting my bag was one of those emergencies. I also wanted to snake Dean's car keys so I could go get some breakfast.

I crept into the room and as far as I could tell both of the Winchesters were still asleep. I'm guessing I knew where the table was because I had the same room as them. Although I wasn't expecting my bag to be right in the middle of the floor, thanks a lot Dean, and tripped over it. I could hear Dean give a snort and turn over in the bed still asleep, but that was it.

Breathing a sigh of relief I got back up, only to be tackled over by I'm guessing the youngest Winchester.

"Wait, wait Sam it's me!" I said quietly before he could do some damage.

"Andy?" Sam asked helping me off the floor.

I sighed. "Jesus Sam, you scared the crap outta me."

He chuckled. "I scared you? You're the one creeping around our room in the dark."

"Dean's still asleep?" I asked. I couldn't tell because he stopped snoring.

"The guy can sleep through a civil war." Sam mused, opening one of the curtains. Some early morning light swept through the room and it took me a moment before my eyes could adjust. The room looked just like mine. Crappy pale wallpaper, flowered bed sheets, a mini kitchen and a table. I looked to Sam and I smiled at his attire. He had a checker pattern on his pants and a t- shirt.

"That shirt looks a bit familiar…" Sam said grabbing some of his clothes.

I smiled. "Yes…it's comfy and it's not my fault I can't ignore it when it's sitting on the bed when no ones around."

"Yeah, thought I misplaced it." Sam smiled letting out a yawn.

"Sleep well?" I asked.

He shrugged and I could tell he hadn't. "Nightmares?"

"Part of the job I guess. You're clothes are in your bag which is on the floor over there. We don't have a job at the moment so when you're done getting dressed we can go get breakfast. No need to wake Dean yet."

I looked over to Dean as Sam went into the bathroom. I could remember feeling my heart skip beats and a little light headed when I thought about him last night. But I didn't feel anything now. I could have sworn I had other feelings of him, I mean I'd known him since I was little. But even if I felt that way, I'm sure he still saw me as that little girl who wore pajamas with bunnies on them. Plus, being with a Winchester that way was probably not the best thing. It would make it harder and more stressful and neither Sam nor Dean deserved that.

I grabbed my bag and headed back to my room to get a shower. I had both of them right now and dating one would make me lose the other. Or at least that's what I figured.

0o0o0o

Sam fell asleep against the window of the Impala as we drove to Toledo. Dean had apparently found a job in the paper when we were eating breakfast. He hadn't really told us anything about it yet so I guessed we were still in information gathering stage.

"Where are we going again?" I asked, leaning up in between the seats.

"Toledo, Ohio."

"And why's that again?"

We got a red light and Dean turned his head to look at me. He was extremely close to my face but I didn't want to move because I was uncomfortable. He didn't seem to notice.

"I'm not sure yet. But it's a job so were going no matter what the hell it is."

I nodded as we pulled into a parking lot. "Should we let him sleep? I don't think he's getting a lot lately."

As I finished my sentence Sam started tossing and turning in the seat and Dean looked back at me. I could tell he was worried and he shook Sam for a moment.

"Sam wake up."

Sam jolted up and looked at Dean and then to me. "I take it I was having a nightmare."

Dean nodded and took out the paper. "Yeah, another one."

"At least I got some sleep." Sam shrugged.

I rolled my eyes. "Right ten minutes is considered sleep."

He glared at me and Dean sighed. "You know, sooner or later we're gonna have to talk about this. Welcome to Toledo, Ohio."

"So what do you think really happened to him?" I asked taking the paper from Dean.

"That's what we're gonna find out. Let's go."

We got out of the car and I stretched looking at Sam. "What did you dream about?"

He stopped and let Dean walk ahead of us. "You can't tell Dean."

I nodded, I could keep a secret. After all, Sam kept all of mine. "I was dreaming about Jess, I—"

"You two coming or what?" Dean called and I nodded.

"Tell me later."

I walked ahead of Sam and looked back at him for a moment. He was rubbing his hands over his face but followed nonetheless. I could tell keeping this information to himself was killing him. He needed to tell someone, to vent a little. I could help, but not now. Not while we had another job to do. The only thing I hated about this job was that all personal things had to go on hold.

The morgue technician looked up from his desk when we walked in. "Hey." He said and looked specifically at me and smiled.

I raised my eyebrows. You have got to be kidding me. I mean he wasn't extremely unattractive but I swear, every guy that ever looked at me didn't get very far. I knew what guys wanted, their brains only worked on two subjects. Food and sex. Dean was a very good example.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"Yeah. We're the uh...med students." Dean said trying to maneuver his way to the back room.

He looked confused. "Sorry?"

"Oh Doctor Figlavitch didn't tell you?" Dean said glancing at the desk next to him. He butchered the name but the technician didn't seem to notice. "We talked to him on the phone. We uh…We're from Ohio State. He's supposed to show us the Shoemaker corpse. It's for our paper."

The guy wasn't swayed. Too bad it wasn't a woman, we'd be in there faster than you could say Dean's Godly woman powers. "Well I'm sorry, he's at lunch."

"Oh well he said uh…Oh well, you know, it doesn't matter. You don't mind showing us the body do you?"

"Sorry, I can't. Doc will be back in an hour, you can wait for him if you want."

"An hour? Ooh. We gotta be heading back to Columbus by then." Dean said looking at Sam and he nodded.

Dean tried again. "Uh look man, this paper's like half hour grade, so if you don't mind helping us out."

"Oh look man." The technician mocked. "No."

Dean nodded and turned obviously pissed. "I'm gonna hit him in his face I swear." Dean muttered.

I patted Dean on the arm and stepped foreword leaning over the desk. Nothing like a low cut tank top to distract a morgue technician.

"Hey." I said slowly and I could feel both the Winchesters raise their eyebrows behind me.

"Maybe they can go see that body or whatever and we can stay here and…" I ran my finger along his desk. "Talk…"

Being shallow was another thing guys were attracted to. I learned a lot from hanging around Dean and meeting people like this. Guys were stupid.

The technician cleared his throat and stood, looking at Dean and Sam. "Follow me. I'll be back for you."

I smiled and when he headed off I made a gagging noise. "We'll be quick." Sam said smiling and Dean just looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You could do that for a job ya know. Credit card fraud isn't the easiest thing to support."

I shoved him on the shoulder and he grinned. "Have fun."

0o0o0o0o

After a lot of bad flirting and almost vomiting Sam and Dean finally came to get me. And boy, they did look not happy about how that guy flirted back and asked for my number. That's what I was talking about before. Those two were more like my big brothers than anything else, even if I had feelings for both.

"You alright?" Dean asked me as we headed downstairs and out the door to the Impala.

"I had to prostitute myself. It was not my idea of fun." I said shaking my head.

Sam looked annoyed. "Yeah well I had to give him money when I asked each question I had before he left. Anyways, might not be one of ours. Might just be some freak medical thing."

"How many times in dad's long and varied career has it actually been a freak medical thing and not some sign of an awful supernatural death?"

"Uh, almost never." I laughed quietly and got into the car.

"Especially since there was exploding eyeballs from a stroke." Dean said.

"All right then, let's go talk to the daughter, you won't have to sell yourself on that one Andy." Sam said smiling.

"I'm glad you two are _so_ hilarious." I loved being the laughing stock of the car.

0o0o0o0

We walked into the daughter's house and I felt bad looking at all the people who were grieving. Especially since none of us were exactly dressed for the occasion.

"Feel like we're underdressed." Dean said slightly embarrassed and I nodded. We walked out to the back of the house and went over to where a group of girls were sitting. They looked up as we approached them and I was guessing the one with shorter hair was Donna and her little sister next to her. I felt so horrible for them. They were both without a mother and a father now. The other two girls next to them I guessed were friends.

" You must be Donna right?" Dean asked and she nodded.

I couldn't help but notice one of them staring at Dean and Sam as Sam apologized for Donna's loss. She looked highly pleased with what she was seeing and it made me want to hit her.

"I'm Sam, this is Dean and our sister Andy. We worked with your dad."

Since when the hell was I their sister?

"You did?" she asked.

"Yeah. This whole thing. I mean, a stroke." Dean said apologetically.

"I don't think she really wants to talk about this right now." One of the other girls added trying to make a point. She wasn't the one that had been whoring after Sam and Dean so she was okay by me.

"It's okay. I'm okay." Donna added.

"Were there any symptoms? Dizziness? Migraines?" Dean tried. Anything that could help us identify this damn thing.

"It wasn't a stroke." Her little sister said upset.

"Lily don't say that." Donna said trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry, she's just upset."

Lily turned to her. "No, it happened because of me."

"Sweetie, it didn't."

Sam bent down to Lily's eyelevel and spoke to her gently. I smiled slightly, the guy was such a sweetheart. "Lily, why would you say something like that?"

"Right before he died, I said it."

"You said what?" Sam asked.

"Bloody Mary- Three times in the bathroom mirror. She took his eyes, that's what she does." Lily said and I looked at Dean.

"Lily, there's no way it could have been Bloody Mary. Your dad didn't say it, did he?" Dean said trying to squeeze a little more information.

She shook her head. "No I don't think so."

We apologized again and we secretly headed upstairs to where Donna's dad had died. Sam pushed open the bathroom door and I grimaced at the floor. There was till dried blood near the sink and under the door.

Sam reached down and touched the floor. "The Bloody Mary legend- Dad ever find any evidence that it was a real thing?"

Dean shook his head. "Not that I know of."

"I mean, everywhere else all over the country, kids will play Bloody Mary, and as far as we know, no one dies from it." I said grumpily.

"Yeah well maybe everywhere it's just a story but here it's actually happening. What's your problem?" Dean asked.

I looked at him. "Nothing. Look maybe there not telling us everything they know."

"We can't just go demand information they don't have." Sam said standing.

"I'm sure _one_ of them has some kind of information." I answered leaning against the doorframe.

"That one was looking at us. You're jealous." Sam said smiling.

I shrugged. So what if I was, it was natural. It wasn't like Dean and Sam had never been jealous in there entire lives. "It's not my fault she looked like a hussy." I muttered.

Dean's eyes widened but a grin came over his face as well. "Andy!"

I looked at him innocently. "What?"

"Ok let's not focus on this okay?" Sam said shaking off a slight laugh. "According to the legend, the person who says you know what, gets it. But here—"

Dean nodded now looking from me to the mirror. "Shoemaker gets it instead. Never heard anything like that before. Still, the guy did die right in front of the mirror, and the daughter's right. The way the legend goes, 'you know who' scratches your eyes out."

I shook off a little embarrassment from my previous outburst. "It's worth checking in to."

I needed to know when to keep my mouth shut, although it wasn't like Sam and I didn't make fun of all the girls Dean chose to 'wow' as he likes to call it. I was just making fun of one that was checking out both Dean and Sam. No harm no foul…it didn't mean anything. Or at least I hoped it didn't.

I heard a noise in the hallway and waved at both of them getting their attention. We tried getting out before whoever was coming could see us but she cut us off as soon as we left the bathroom.

"What are you doing up here?" It wasn't Donna or the hussy. It was the other girl.

"We—we, had to go to the bathroom."

I looked at Dean. That was his excuse? We all had to go to the bathroom…together?

"Who are you?" she asked.

"What's your name?" I asked right back.

"Like we said downstairs, we worked with Donna's dad." Dean answered before she could answer me.

"Charlie. And he was a day trader or something, he worked by himself."

"No, I know, I meant—"

"And all those weird questions downstairs, what was that? So you tell me what's going on, or I start screaming."

Sam put his hands up. "All right, all right. We think something happened to Donna's dad."

"Yeah, a stroke." She said obviously.

"That's not a sign of a typical stroke. We think it might be something else." I said looking at her.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Honestly? We don't know yet. But we don't want it to happen to anyone else. That's the truth."

"Who are you, cops?"

I would have laughed if it wouldn't have blown our cover. We were so far from cops it was ridiculous. Cops couldn't do our job if they had a dummy 'how to' guide.

"Something like that."

"I'll tell you what. Here." Sam said writing his cell on the back of a piece of paper. "If you think of anything, you or your friends notice anything strange, out of the ordinary…just give us a call."

0o0o0o0o

part 2 next


	11. Chapter 10: Bloody Mary Part 2

thank you for the awesome reviews :DD

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Chapter 10: Bloody Mary Part 2

_It was dark and I was somewhere in the forest. I could hear howling and feel blood dripping from a cut on my forehead. I was scrambling to stay on my feet and it was starting to rain. I could see lights ahead of me and no matter how fast I stumbled to them, they kept getting farther away. Finally, I reached the lights. It was a hunting cabin, none other than where my father and John set up camp. They were waiting, I could see them inside. I noticed flares on the ground. But something was off about them, they weren't set up right. Something attacked and I was thrown back._

I jerked up in the Impala breathing heavily. I saw Dean practically break his neck turning around to look at me until Sam yelled at him to pay attention to the road.

"You okay?" Sam asked and I shook my head rubbing my hands over my face. I felt like I was going to be sick. My stomach was in knots and there was a cold sweat making me shake all over. 

I didn't answer, which I knew was just going to worry them anyway. But I couldn't find my voice. I was pretty sure I was shaking so bad they wouldn't have understood me. What the hell was that? I never had nightmares like that, not any which woke me from a deep sleep and made me shake continuously. I was worried and apparently so was Sam and Dean.

"Dean pull the car over." Sam instructed. 

"N-no. I'm f-fine." I tried but it won out to no avail. 

"We're at the library anyway." Dean said pulling into a parking spot.

Sam got out of the car and opened the back door, sliding in next to me. Dean handed Sam his leather jacket and slipped it over my shoulders. Even against the warm heat that Dean had left in his jacket I was still trembling like a leaf. 

"What happened?" Dean asked.

After a few moments of sitting there I finally stopped shaking and I looked at Sam. "I had a nightmare."

"Have you been having them a lot lately?" 

I shook my head. "No, this was the first one and I hope it was the last."

"What did you dream about?"

I looked up at Dean and contemplated if I should tell them or not. I knew it had been about my father and I didn't want to go into it with them. They were already worrying about Sam having nightmares and I didn't want to add to it. Plus, I was pretty sure it was just a freak accident. I didn't think I'd be dreaming about the same thing again.

"I-I don't remember, just that it freaked the hell outta me." Pretty sure they could guess that from my reaction. 

Sam helped me out of the car. "We're at the library?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, Bloody Mary research."

I was avoiding the dream talk and I think they knew that, but luckily it was one of those days they just let it go. I walked along with Dean; Sam a few moments ahead of us to get the door.

"Can I wear this for now?" I asked Dean motioning to his jacket.

He nodded and smiled. "Of course."

"So say Bloody Mary really is haunting this town. There's gotta be some sort of proof—Like a local woman who died nasty." I said.

Sam nodded. "Yeah but a legend this widespread it's hard."

"Right there's like fifty different versions on who she actually was."

Sam nodded in agreement. "One story says she's a witch, another says she's a mutilated bride, there's a lot more."

"All right so what are we supposed to be looking for?" Dean asked.

I looked around the books. "Things in common; it's always a woman named Mary and she always dies in front of a mirror. The best thing to look for would probably be in police reports or um, newspaper clippings."

Dean grunted. "Well that sounds annoying." 

Sam shook his head looking for the computers. "No it won't be so bad, as long as we…"

I sighed heavily. All the computers had signs on them that stated that they were out of order. "Dean's right. It'll be _very_ annoying."

"Alright, here's what we'll do. We'll pick up as many books as we can on the subject and see if were dealing with the actual Bloody Mary."

Dean shook his head. "I don't think it is, especially with a legend so widespread like this. It's most likely a copycat."

I rubbed a hand through my hair. "You guys pick up the books; I'm getting a headache so I'm going to get coffee. You guys want anything?"

I took Sam and Dean's orders and left the library. I'd meet them back at the motel as soon as I was done getting the coffees. The truth was my head was pounding and being locked up in a little library with musty books would just add to the throbbing. I just needed a break. Unfortunately in this job, breaks didn't come very often.

0o0o0o0o

I picked up the coffees and by the time I had gotten back to the motel Dean and Sam were already researching. 

"Grab one and join the party." Dean said wryly as I handed him the coffee. I sat next to him on one of the chairs and grabbed one of the books. I brought my knees up to my chest and started reading.

"What'd you dream about?" Dean asked about an hour later.

I hadn't heard anything from either of them since I got back, and I figured they had talked about me when I had left. I glanced over at Sam, like I could use him to get out of this conversation but he was fast asleep on the bed.

"I told you I don't remember." I said looking back into the book.

Dean cleared his throat. He only did that when he wanted the other person to continue. So in other words, he knew I was full of crap and had other things to say.

"I…had a dream about my dad." 

He looked sympathetic now, and I knew he regretted bringing up the topic. But this was Dean and he liked to press topics like this. "What happened?" 

I knew he basically just wanted to know because he was worried about me, but Dean needed to know when not to bud into business sometimes.

"I was in the woods and my dad and John were at that cabin. It was raining and I went up to one of the windows and there were flares on the floor."

I hesitated. Why even tell this to Dean? He had been there when my dad died; he had lived it. Why make him go through it again. Why make me, of all people, tell it like I had been there.

"Andy…" Dean said softly and I looked up, refusing to let tears fall from my eyes. "Just forget it." He'd probably saw the lump in my throat and the urge I had to not cry. It was pathetic really, how I had to be the only girl on this job. I felt like I was too over emotional, but I couldn't help it. They could either deal with it or they couldn't. Plus, being the only girl meant I was entitled to some over emotional cries. That's just the way girls are programmed.

Sam was twisting and turning on the bed and he jolted awake. Dean and I looked over to him and he looked extremely annoyed. "Why'd you let me fall asleep?" he asked Dean.

Dean shrugged with an obvious answer. "Because I'm an awesome brother. So what did you dream about?" 

"Lollipops and candy canes." Sam mused, looking at the ceiling.

"Most have been some scary ass candy." I muttered looking at the book again.

Dean looked at both of us. "What is it with you two and not sharing your creepy ass nightmares?"

I glared at him and Sam interrupted my well thought out retort. "Did you find anything?" 

"Other than a whole new level of frustration?" Dean groaned and I shook my head and Sam sat up.

"No. We've looked at everything. A few local women, a Laura and a Catherine committed suicide in front of a mirror, and a giant mirror fell on a guy named Dave, but uh, no Mary." 

Sam tended to be the glass half full in the group. I tended to see the glass half empty while Dean disregarded the glass entirely and tended to smash it against a wall. "Maybe we just haven't found it yet." 

Dean rolled his eyes. "I've also been searching for strange deaths in the area, you know…eyeball bleeding, that sort of thing. There's nothing."

"Whatever's happening here, maybe it just ain't Mary." I said closing the book and stretched.

Dean threw a paper ball at my stomach as I leaned back on the chair to crack my back. I smiled and pulled his jacket off and threw it over his head. What a dork. He always knew how to make me smile though, had to give him that.

Sam cell phone started ringing and he reached over to answer it. He didn't seem to recognize the number but answered anyway.

"Hello?" he asked. A look of concern came over his face and he looked at us. "Okay, calm down. We'll be right there." He hung up and got up off the bed. "It's Charlie, Mary got someone else."

Dean stood slipping on his leather jacket. "Looks like research will have to be put on hold."

0o0o0o0o

We met Charlie at a park near Donna's house and as soon as we followed her to a bench to sit on she started crying. I sat next to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"They found her on the bathroom floor. And her—her eyes. They were gone." Charlie continued swallowing a sob.

The guilt set in now. The girl I had been calling a hussy had gotten her eyes pulled out by Mary. Granted she was whoring herself after the boys but she didn't deserve to die or anything. 

"I'm sorry." Sam said his eyes filling with sympathy.

"And she said it." I looked to Dean and Sam. "I heard her say it. But it couldn't be because of that. I'm insane, right?" 

Dean shook his head, shifting his hands into his pockets. "No, you're not insane."

"Oh God, that makes me feel so much worse." She covered her face with her hands and I rubbed her shoulder. 

"Look. We think something's happening here. Something that can't be explained." Sam said softly, making Charlie lift her head up. 

Dean nodded. "And we're gonna stop it but we could use your help." 

Charlie nodded. "Okay, what do you need me to do?" 

"We need to get into Jill's room. Look around for anything that might help us figure this out."

Charlie nodded. "Okay, I'll need your help though Andy."

I looked at Sam and Dean confused but then nodded. "Okay, whatever you need me to do."

0o0o0o0o

"Hi Clara." Charlie said as the front door to Jill's house opened. Clara, I guessed, was Jill's mom.

"Oh, sweetie. It's so good to see you." Clara said giving her a big hug. "And who's your friend?"

I saw her look at me and I went foreword to shake her hand. "My names Alice, I was a friend of Jill's." She gave me a sympathetic stare and surprisingly gave me a hug also. She seemed like such a nice woman and for some reason I hated lying to her.

She let go of me and as I looked down the hall I could see Sam and Dean in the backyard through large glass doors leading to a patio. They were climbing up along the window, using the door handle as a stepping stool to get to the edge of the roof to reach Jill's room.

Unfortunately, Dean being his unbalanced self his foot hit the window of the door and made a loud banging noise. Clara began to turn around when I made a quick sobbing noise, making her turn and face me instead of the noise.

"Oh, honey are you okay?" she asked me.

Charlie put an arm around my shoulder. "Yes, I just- I won't be here for the funeral. I was wondering if I could look at a few of her things…for old time's sake." I finished up my crying and she nodded pointing me and Charlie to the staircase.

Those damn boys put me into a lot of embarrassing situations one way or the other and I made a note to kick Dean's ass later for being such a klutz.

0o0oo0

I followed Charlie to Jill's room and told her to lock the door as we entered. She did so and I went over to the window sill to let the boys in.

"What did you tell Jill's mom?" Sam asked taking a bag from Dean. 

"Just that we needed some time alone with Jill's pictures and things." Dean climbed in and emptied the bag, handing the EMF meter to Sam and the video recorder to me.

I nodded and smiled. "I could be a damn actress. And you, with your big ass feet." I said pointing to Dean. 

He seemed surprised. "What?"

"How bout we try and _not_ knock on the glass door with our huge foot okay?"

Sam snickered and Dean threw the empty bag at me.

"Hit the lights." Dean told Charlie and she did so.

"What are you guys looking for?" She asked.

"Don't know yet, hey night vision." I asked turning on the digital camera. It was dark and I couldn't see the damn little buttons.

"Night vision please, makes it happen." Dean said turning to look at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Please." He pushed a button on the side and night vision popped on. I smiled. "Perfect."

Dean nodded his ego erupting into a full explosion. "I know aren't I?" The camera was aimed at him and he turned his head into a certain position.

"Do I look like Paris Hilton?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, you look exactly like an anorexic blond slut with crabs." 

Sam burst into laughter and Dean glowered at me. I did love knocking his Godly ego down a few pegs.

"You let your girlfriend talk to you that way?" Charlie spoke up looking at the both of us.

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Oh wow, no. Dean and I aren't dating."

And we probably never would be. Dean nodded almost incessantly. "Yeah, being on the road with her is enough."

I shoved him hard and he grinned. "Shut up, I'm a joy to be around."

"You two both are annoying. Can we just look for the damn clues now?" Sam asked irritated.

"Aye, Aye, Velma." Dean said saluting Sam and I couldn't help but giggle. 

Sam grunted and tried to ignore the laughter. "So I don't get it. I mean…the first victim didn't summon Mary, and the second victim did. How's she choosing them?" 

I guess Dean decided he didn't need Sam to be mad at him so he stopped fooling around. "Beats me. I want to know why Jill said it in the first place." 

Charlie shrugged not really knowing the answer. "It's just a joke." 

Funny how the punch line was people were dying.

"Yeah well somebody's gonna say it again, it's just a matter of time." Dean said heading into the bathroom, following me. 

"So Charlie thought we we're dating huh?" Dean asked me, shifting around my back.

He was making me feel uncomfortable. "Yeah, imagine that huh?"

It wasn't that big of a stretch really, but I wasn't about to add something that would just provoke the enlargement of Dean's ego. Lord knows he didn't need to make that larger.

"Hey." I said suddenly, turning the camera to the sink. There was something dripping from under the mirror.

"What?" he asked coming up beside me. He was so close to my face I could smell his after shave. And damn, did it smell good. I shook off the shakes my stomach was experiencing and motioned to the camera. "There's a black light in the trunk, right?" 

Sam carried the mirror into Jill's room and set it out on the bed. He peeled the paper on the back and Dean came in through the window again. He handed me the backlight and I flipped it on, running it along the back of the mirror. A name and a handprint popped up on the back and we all squinted at it.

Charlie said it first. "Gary Bryman?" 

I turned off the black light. "You know who that is?" Sam asked.

She shook her head no and we started to clean up, putting the mirror back up on the wall and such. The two boys went out the window and Charlie and I headed downstairs. I gave Clara another hug and apologized for her lose. I really was sorry, she was such a nice person and I knew she must have missed her daughter terribly. I knew what it felt like to lose someone.

0o0o0o0o

After we figured out that Gary Bryman was an eight year old boy that Jill had accidently killed in a hit and run we had to check out the other Bloody Mary victim to see what skeletons were in their closets. At Donna's house it ended up saying Linda Shoemaker on the back of the mirror and that information sent us reeling. It seemed that Bloody Mary was attacking people who killed another. But we still didn't understand why she was doing it or who she actually was. We needed to pin down Mary and figure out her motive. It was the only thing that could stop her.

We headed back to the motel and did a little more research. 

"Wait, wait, wait, you're doing a nationwide search?" Sam asked, turning to look at Dean.

It was odd seeing Dean on the laptop. It was always Sam that usually took the research on the sites. I thought the only thing Dean knew how to look up on the computer was porn.

"Yep. The NCIC, the FBI database—at this point any Mary who died in front of a mirror is good enough for me."

I rolled my eyes, not looking up from newspaper clippings. "I can see your work ethic never changes huh?"

I felt paper hit my head again and looked at the floor. He had thrown a little motel notepad at me. "If these items get any bigger, I'll throw a lamp at you."

Dean smiled and Sam continued about the hunt, un-swayed by Dean and my other conversation. "But if she's haunting the town, she should have died in the town." 

Dean looked at me and then to Sam. I got what Dean was saying in a nutshell, would it hurt you to have a little fun Sammy? Or at least humor us? "I'm telling you there's nothing local, I've checked. So unless you got a better idea—" 

"The way Mary's choosing her victims, it seems like there's a pattern." I interrupted him. 

"I know." Dean said pointedly. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Should have said it first." I stuck my tongue out at him making him grin.

"You two are really sickening." Sam said. "Please stop."

Sam started talking again about the case and I couldn't help but notice Sam was right. We _were_ sickening. Ever since Charlie had made that comment, we'd been flirting with each other. Maybe it was unintentional but we were doing it nonetheless. It obviously had to be really noticeable and annoying for Sam to be fed up with it. 

"Both had secrets where people died." Dean said and that got my attention.

More like the words 'secrets' and 'died'. I looked at the floor and tried to find something interesting on it. I didn't want them to look me in the eyes and know I was hiding something. Sam must have said my name ten times before Dean had to nudge me for my attention.

"What?" I asked. 

"Dazing off much?" Dean asked and I looked at the floor again. 

"I need some fresh air." 

And with that I headed out the door without waiting for an answer. I leaned against the motel door and took a deep sigh. I could hear Dean and Sam talking from within and leaned my head against the wood. I can't curve my curiosity, I hardly hear them talk without me in the room.

"I'm worried about her." Sam was saying.

Dean sounded like he had gotten up and was pacing. His feet always made thumping noises when he did so.

"I'm sure she's okay."

"Did she tell you what her nightmare was about?"

I didn't hear Dean's reply. I heard the squeaking of coils and I knew he sat on one of the beds. I didn't tell Dean so he could blab off to Sam. Usually when I told one of them something it meant they were supposed to keep it to themselves. If I wanted the other to know, I would have told both of them at the same time.

"No." I heard Dean say and I nodded, thankfully. "She didn't tell me."

0o0o0o0o0o

thank you for reading, hope you liked it. i'll most likely have bloody mary done by tonight :D


	12. Chapter 11: Bloody Mary Part 3

:D please R&R

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Chapter 11: Bloody Mary Part 3

I rubbed my hands over my face and sat against the door. I hoped neither of them was leaving the room anytime soon.

"Think she's okay?" I heard Sam ask.

When Dean volunteered to go get me I stood and opened the door, almost hitting him with hit.

"Whoa, little warning next time." Dean said holding the door open.

"Sorry, what did I miss?" I practically gave them an opening to lie to me. They didn't know I had been sitting outside and in all honestly I didn't care what they told me because I had heard the actual conversation.

"Nothing just talking about Mary. We've narrowed it down that Mary punishes people with horrible secrets. Like one where some dies." Dean replied shutting the door.

I nodded and resisted the urge to move my eyes. It seemed if I moved my eyes to look at the floor or away from the Winchesters, it meant that I couldn't handle something. And both of them had radar for it. It sucked. 

"Whether you're the one that summoned her or not." Sam finished.

"What's this?" I asked picking something up from the printer. Sam came to stand close to me, he hadn't seen it either. 

It was a woman lying on the floor in front of a mirror. She was laying in a puddle of blood and it made my stomach lurch. I put a hand over my stomach and handed the picture to Sam. 

"Looks like the same handprint on the mirrors." 

"Her name was Mary Worthington—an unsolved murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana." Dean said reading off the laptop.

"Fort Wayne?" I asked.

Dean nodded and handed me the car keys. "Fort Wayne."

0o0o0o0o

Contrary to popular belief, road trips are not always what they're cracked up to be. The drives seem to get longer and more tiresome and did I mention my back hurts the worst when sitting in one spot for too long? That's why I hated driving the Impala for long distances. Dean had nicknamed me the 'grandma of the Impala' for that one. But when my back was killing me I could have cared less what he called me, as long as I got to stretch out in the backseat.

"Are we there yet?" I asked for at least the thousandth time.

"Why don't you fall asleep or something? Or place a sock in your mouth?" Dean asked, turning the car.

"We're here anyway." Sam said opening the car door.

I groaned and sat up, placing my hair away from my face. No rest for the pretending reporters.

0o0o0o0o

"Technically I'm not supposed to have a copy of this." The black detective said pulling out the same picture Dean had found earlier that day. "Now see that there? T-R-E?" he asked and we all nodded. 

"I think Mary was trying to spell out the name of her killer." 

"You know who it was?" I asked. 

"Not for sure. But there was a local man, a surgeon-Trevor Sampson." He pulled out a picture of the man. "And I think her cut her up good. Her diary mentioned a man that she was seeing. She called him by his initial, "T". Well, her last entry, she was gonna tell "T"'s wife about their affair." 

"So he killed her?" I asked.

"But you could never prove it?" Dean asked also.

The detective shook his head sadly. "No. No prints, no witnesses. He was meticulous." 

"Is he still alive?" 

"Nope." 

I couldn't help but feel happy about that. It was obvious he had killed Mary and if he had still been alive, I would have ended up finding the bastard and killing him myself. Mary be damned.

"Where's she buried?" Sam asked. 

The detective looked a little surprised at the question, but answered. "She wasn't. She was cremated."

"You have the names of her family by any chance?" Sam asked.

We got the list and headed back out to the Impala.

"So what are we going to do, track down that mirror?" I asked pulling the door open.

Sam nodded and started dialing phone numbers, trying to contact the family members.

I let out a huge yawn and Dean looked back at me, starting the car. "If your tired, you should sleep. We're going to be hunting this thing down soon and it'd be better if you were rested." 

I shook my head. "I'm fine." I looked up to see his reluctant face. "Really, I am." 

Sam was done with his phone conversation and we looked at him expectantly. "So?" Dean asked.

"So that was Mary's brother. The mirror was in the family for years, until he sold it one week ago to a store called Estate Antiques. A store in Toledo." 

"So wherever the mirror goes, that's where Mary goes?" 

"Her spirit's definitely tied up with it somehow." 

I stuck my head up in between the seats, leaning my one arm on Sam's shoulder. "Isn't there an old superstition that says mirrors can capture spirits?" 

Sam nodded. "Yeah there is. When someone would die in a house people would cover up the mirrors so the ghost wouldn't get trapped." 

"So Mary dies in front of a mirror, and it draws in her spirit." 

Sam sighed. "Yeah but how could she move through like a hundred different mirrors?"

"I don't know, but I say we find the mirror and smash it." 

Sam's phone began to ring again and he picked it up. "Hello…Charlie?"

0o0o0o0

We picked up Charlie outside of school and she got in the back of the Impala, crying softly. She must have seen Mary, it was the only explanation. I told her to keep her eyes shut tight as Dean drove back to the motel. I guided her into the room and sat her on the bed. She brought her knees up around her chest and buried her head on her knees while Sam and Dean covered the reflective surfaces in the room. 

I rubbed her back soothingly and Sam sat next to her as Dean covered one of the last spots. "Hey, hey it's ok. Hey, you can open up your eyes Charlie. It's okay, all right?" 

Charlie looked up slowly and I stood next to Dean.

"Now listen. You're gonna stay right here on this bed, and you're not gonna look at glass, or anything else that has a reflection, okay? And as long as you do that, she cannot get you." Sam said quietly. 

"But I can't keep that up forever. I'm gonna die, aren't I?" she looked to me and Dean, tears pooling from her eyes. 

Sam's eyes filled with sympathy and pain for her. "No. No. Not anytime soon." 

I shook my head and pulled on Dean's flannel shirt. "Can I talk to you outside?" I asked.

Dean looked to Sam and he nodded and followed me outside.

Sam continued talking to Charlie about what happened as I closed the door.

"Okay, I lied to you." I said, shifting from foot to foot.

"About what?" Dean asked.

"My nightmare. And with this whole thing with Mary, I didn't want it to be a secret." 

Dean nodded slowly. "Okay…"

"Remember when you guys left for that hunt? The one my dad got killed on?"

Dean nodded. "Well earlier that day I noticed the flare guns getting packed into the car. They looked odd like, something as wrong with them. But I couldn't place what it was." I sighed.

Dean walked closer to me and urged me to continue.

"I didn't know what was wrong with them, hell I didn't even know if there was an actual problem. So I said nothing. And you guys went on the hunt and my dad died." 

I said my voice catching on the last few words. Dean came towards me and hugged me tightly. "Andy, that had nothing to do with you. You couldn't have done anything, it wasn't your fault."

I cried a little against his jacket and I felt his hand come around me tighter and comfortingly stroke my hair with the other. "Look, you have to stop blaming yourself for what happened to your dad okay? You didn't kill him."

I nodded. I knew Dean was right. There was nothing I could have done. I didn't know how flares functioned then, and I couldn't have known something wasn't right with them. It had only been a feeling really, but I should have trusted it. Technically, Dean was right. I hadn't killed him, not with my actual hands.

"Didn't save him." I countered back. That had been my secret all along. At least Mary couldn't use me now, but now I wasn't sure how'd we get Mary to her mirror.

"Andy, you okay?" I heard Sam ask as he came back out the door.

I pulled away from Dean and wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. Dean nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. How's Charlie?"

"I'll fill you in on the way." Sam answered going down the motel steps to the Impala. "Come on, we've got a job to finish."

He looked determined. That could be nothing good.

0o0o0o0

The sprinkling of rain that wanted to come out of the clouds all day had just started pouring. I felt like someone was standing in the clouds and pouring buckets of water on the Impala.

"You know her boyfriend killing himself, that's not really Charlie's fault." 

"You know as well as I do spirits don't exactly see shades of gray, Dean. Charlie had a secret, someone died, that's good enough for Mary." He sounded upset.

"Are you okay Sam?" I asked, but he ignored me. Yep, something wasn't right. He was hiding something. 

"You know, I've been thinking. It might not be enough to just smash that mirror."

Uh, oh. I should have known it had been leading to this. "Sam, you can't."

"Wait, can't what?" Dean asked. "Someone fill in for the information inclined." 

"Why not Andy. Like you haven't been thinking it the entire time." Sam turned and said angrily. I looked out the window and kept my mouth shut. He was right; except I wanted to be the one who summoned her. But now that I had told Dean, it wasn't much of a secret now.

"Mary's hard to pin down, right?" Sam asked Dean. "So maybe we should try to pin her down, you know, summon her to her mirror and then smash it." 

"Well who's gonna summon her?" Dean asked. 

"I will. She'll come after me." Sam said firmly. 

Dean looked at me incredulously. "You know what, that's it."

He pulled the car over and looked at Sam. It was about time this topic had been confronted. "This is about Jessica, isn't it? You think that's your dirty little secret that you killed her somehow?" 

Sam did nothing but look out the window.

Dean was fed up. "Sam, this has got to stop, man. I mean, the nightmares and calling her name out in the middle of the night—it's gonna kill you. Now listen to me—It wasn't your fault. If you wanna blame something, then blame the thing that killed her. Or hell, why don't you take a swing at me? I mean I'm the one that dragged you away from her in the first place." 

He looked up now. But his features were murderous. "I don't blame you."

Sure looked like he did; he blamed someone. 

"Well you shouldn't blame yourself, because there's nothing you could've done." 

It was weird how they read each others thought sometimes. I was always so far off when I tried. 

"I could've warned her."

"About what? You didn't know what was gonna happen! And besides, all of this isn't a secret, I mean I know all about it. It's not gonna work with Mary anyway." Dean was kind of yelling now and I wanted to interrupt them but I knew it wasn't my place. I'd just get yelled out by one of them and end up shutting up anyway. She I sat back in my seat and shut my mouth. Why not just skip to this step.

"No you don't." Sam said suddenly.

I sat up for that one. I knew I hadn't heard that one right. "He doesn't what?" 

Sam looked from me to Dean. "You guys don't know all about it. I haven't told you everything."

"What are you talking about?" I asked Sam. I was concerned as all hell. But the other reason I asked was because Dean was looking at me like I had known something. I didn't know what was going on as much as he did, and I wanted to make sure he knew that. 

"Well it wouldn't really be a secret if I told you, would it?" Sam smiled slightly at that. 

I looked at him surprised. "You really have a death wish don't you? You're so damn selfish." 

"I don't like it. It's not gonna happen, forget it." 

"Dean that girl back there is going to die unless we do something about it. And you know what? Who knows how many more people are gonna die after that? Now we're doing this. You've got to let me do this."

He ignored my statement and question completely. Sam and I rarely fought. It was either Dean butting heads with me or Sam. Dean tended to piss everyone off. But not at the moment, Sam was making me fume. But the sad part was, he was right. There was really nothing Dean and I could do. We had to let him do this if we wanted Mary summoned to her mirror to save Charlie.

Damn it Sam. It was probably the first thing he had thought of when we figured out who Mary was.

0o0o0o0o

"Well…that's just great." Dean said pulling out a picture of Mary and her mirror. We looked around. There was at least a hundred different mirrors in this damn antique shop. "All right let's start looking." 

We separated and looked for a while. "Maybe they've already sold it." Dean called out. 

I could see Sam come to a stop and shine his flashlight in a certain mirror. "I don't think so." 

"You sure about this?" Dean asked as we came up to stand next to him. 

Sam handed me the flashlight and Dean traded him for the crowbar. Sam sighed. "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary."

The first two were always the easiest. He gave me and Dean an unsure look and raised the crowbar.

"Bloody Mary." 

0o0o0o0o

There were headlights coming through the store and I looked to Dean.

"Oh crap."

Dean patted Sam on the shoulder. "We'll go check that out. Stay here, be careful."

Sam nodded and readied the crowbar. I turned back and looked at him. "Smash anything that moves." I said forcefully and he nodded.

I walked up near Dean and bumped shoulders with him. "Double crap." I said seeing it was cops. 

Dean nodded. "Yeah, you're telling me. Don't suppose you could use your cleavage for this one huh?"

He looked back at me and I glared at him. He shrugged. "Didn't think so." 

"Alright stay here." He told me.

"Dean!" I tried pulling him back but he had already walked out in front of the cops.

"Whoa guys, false alarm, I tripped the system." Dean was saying. 

"Who are you?" One of them asked.

"I'm the boss's kid." He answered smoothly. 

"You're Mister Yamashiro's kid?"

I shook my head and smacked my palm against my forehead. Sometimes Dean was just too smooth for words. I heard the crowbar slam into glass and glanced into Dean's direction one more time before I went to help Sam. He could handle himself.

I tiptoed quietly back to where Mary's mirror was and heard the end of a haunting conversation. 

"How could you leave her alone to die! You dreamt it would happen!" It sounded like Sam. But something dark and twisted. I never wanted to hear Sam's voice like that again. I could see the real Sam was on the floor groaning in pain. I quickly picked up the crowbar where he'd dropped it and smashed the mirror. Pieces flew everywhere and I bent down quickly, lifting Sam by his shoulders. 

Sam's head was laying on my lap by the time Dean got back to us. He picked his head up and shook him a little. "Sam, Sammy!" 

"It's Sam." He said wearily.

I rolled my eyes and Dean ran his finger under Sam's eyes, where blood had fallen. "God, are you okay?" 

Sam grunted. "Uh, yeah." 

"Come on, come on." Dean said. We pulled him up and he put one of Sam's arms around his own neck and my own. But after a few moments of trying to get the hell outta dodge, we heard the crackling of glass behind us. We turned slowly and Mary was crawling out of her mirror. I could feel something like vise grip strangling my heart. And as I looked to Dean and Sam, they were having the same trouble. I guessed it didn't matter if you had a secret or not. When Mary was out of the mirror she was more powerful. We all started bleeding from the eyes and Dean randomly picked up a mirror and turned it towards her.

Mary looked confused for a moment and suddenly you could hear her own reflection, much like Sam's.

"You killed them! All those people! You killed them!" 

Mary started choking to death and melted into a pile of blood and glass. Dean threw down the mirror he had been holding and it shattered.

"Hey guys?" 

"Yeah?" I asked. 

"This has got to be like…what? 600 years of bad luck?" Dean surveyed, looking at the floor. 

I wasn't surprised when none of us laughed.

0o0o0o0o

We drove Charlie back home and she looked at all of us.

"So this is really over?"

"Yeah, it's over." Dean said. 

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you."

Dean reached back over the seat and put a hand on her leg, squeezing it gently. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Always had to touch the girls didn't you Dean? 

She turned and gave me a hug and Sam a hand shake, and got out from the car.

"Charlie?" Sam asked and she turned back around. "Your boyfriend's death…you really should try to forgive yourself. No matter what you did, you probably couldn't have stopped it. Sometimes bad things just happen."

I looked at Sam and nodded. He was right. 

Dean gently hit Sam as we drive off. "That's good advice." Sam smiled and I did too. It was something I needed to learn how to follow.

"Hey Sam… Now that this is all over, I want you to tell me what that secret is." Dean said.

I looked up at Sam and he could tell I had heard what had happened. But I wouldn't tell Dean. It was a bond between me and Sam now. Just like he'd never tell Dean anything I said. Unless the situation was dire and called for it. 

"Look…you're my brother and I'd die for you." Sam sighed. "But there are some things I need to keep to myself." 

If Bloody Mary proved anything, its that secrets are defiantly not a good thing to harbor and I defiantly had to be more honest with the Winchester boys. They were all I had left and I shouldn't lie to them. They deserved my honestly. I made a pact with myself to be more honest with them, I had just wished that the pact had applied for them as well.

0o0o0o0o0o

ok, so i really need feedback this time. the next episode is skin.would you like me to do that one? i wasn't going to, but if you enjoy the episode, i'd be more than happy to add it in,. PLEASE get back to me, thanks :D


	13. Chapter 12: Skin Part 1

skin was requested by many, so here it is. thanks for the reviews! this has alot of my own stuff added to the mix so please R&R :D

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Chapter 12: Skin Part 1

"Do we really have to stop there? My stomach is bitching at me the more I think about it." I complained leaning up in between the Winchesters.

We were on the road, trying to find the nearest motel. But we all were hungry so we decided to try and find somewhere to eat first. Dean said he'd saw a little diner that we passed when we came into town. We'd just finished up a job so we were all famished. Unfortunately, Dean's taste in restaurants wasn't the best. Basically anywhere with meat and grease was good enough for him. My stomach and Sam had other ideas.

"I wish your mouth would stop bitching about it." Dean said irritated. 

"Are we sure that Rusalka was taken care of? We kind of left in a hurry." A Rusalka was basically a water spirit. Well more like a demon. We came across it stealing un-baptized children in a lake near Toledo; so that's where we headed after Bloody Mary. I kind of wished we'd just get a little break already. Nothing like missing eyes and drowning children to make you rethink your profession.

Dean just shrugged and looked at Sam. He'd been quiet since we left Toledo. I think the children thing really got to him. We couldn't save a little girl; but giving us the benefit of the doubt, it had happened one day before we were even on the case.

"Sacrificed a black animal, did the ritual, everything by the book. Damn thing should be gone." Dean said but then corrected himself. "It is gone."

I nodded and sat back in my seat. Dean turned into the diner's parking lot and parked the car.

"We're not seriously eating here are we?" I asked closing the door. "The damn name of the place is "Gray's Grease Grill." It made my stomach lurch just thinking about it.

Dean placed an arm over my shoulder and led me to the front door; Sam following behind us. "Ah come on sweetie, a little grease never hurt anyone."

I pushed his arm off and playfully shoved him in front of me. "Yeah, but with the amount of grease you consume I pray for your arteries."

"My arteries have never been happier." 

We headed to the back of the restaurant and slid into a booth. Dean sat by himself as I slid in next to Sam. It was a thing we kind of did, but I hadn't noticed it until right then. Sometimes when we had business to talk about, the kind that would bother your table neighbors, we'd sit in the less populated areas. And I sat next to Sam because when it came to eating, Dean made me sick to my stomach. The way he downed cheeseburgers sometimes was utterly amazing and somewhat nauseating.

"What are you getting?" I asked Sam and he shrugged. The not talking thing was kind of starting to worry me.

"The double cheeseburger…definitely." 

I looked up to roll my eyes at Dean but he hadn't even looked up from his menu. "Glad I was asking you. Are you okay?" I asked, now turning my attention to Sam. He looked at me and tried giving me a light smile. It looked like he was having complex emotions and I wasn't sure if I could tell how he was feeling.

"Yeah, just not that hungry. I might get a milkshake though."

"That is not a man's meal." Dean replied putting his menu on the table.

"Excuse me if I don't want to shove down three cows Dean." Sam said annoyingly and I smiled.

The waitress approached us and took our orders and our menus. Dean got his double cheeseburger while I got a side of fries and a chocolate milkshake and Sam got a vanilla one.

"Share the fries with me okay?" I asked him. "You have to eat something."

"She's right man. You haven't had anything since yesterday."

"I had breakfast." Sam argued.

"A cup of coffee and half of a bagel does not qualify as breakfast." I said and Dean nodded. 

I was winning this one whether he liked it or not. I didn't want him to get sick on the road from not eating. Although I knew the last job had upset him so I knew that would change.

"So, new topic." Dean said seeing that Sam was getting thoroughly irritated. "I was looking at dad's journal this morning and you know how it has that calendar in the front?"

I nodded. I hoped it was a new job. Maybe the calendar had something to do with a lunar cycle or a ritual that only happened every so often on certain days. But now that I thought about it, there wasn't really anything special coming up. I mean, usually rituals are held on solstices and stuff like that.

"Yeah, what about it?"

Dean looked at Sam and it was weird how they had almost the exact look on their face. 

"Someone's birthday is coming up." Sam said smiling.

I looked from Dean to Sam for about five seconds before it hit me. Birthday. My birthday was coming up. I had forgotten all about my birthday. I remembered last year's birthday though. It had been just me and Dean in a shitty motel room. We just finished a job and when we came back to the motel room, Dean had gotten a cupcake for me. It was sweet really, now that I thought about it. There hadn't been a present really involved but I was happy enough just knowing that someone was there for me. And hello? It was a chocolate cupcake. At that moment, I was happy on all levels.

"Oh right." I said somewhat embarrassed. "I kind of forgot."

"Well you won't be forgetting this year." Dean said smiling. I looked at Sam and he was smiling too. It was the first time I could actually pick out his emotion since we left Toledo. "We're taking you out. No jobs, no hunts. Just all three of us out and about, most likely at a bar."

I grinned. "Are you sure?" 

Sam nodded. "You deserve a little relaxation on your birthday Andy." 

"You two are my heroes. Can we get cake?" 

Sam laughed at my enthusiasm over cake. Nothing beats beer and cake; I don't care what anyone said, you just couldn't. "Yeah, we can get cake."

The waitress then came with our food and Dean instantly dove for his cheeseburger. 

"Dean, I think the waitress thought you were going to bite off her hand you took that sandwich away from her so quickly." I said pushing the plate of fries towards Sam.

"She's fine." Dean said mouthful full of cow. I grimaced and looked down at my fries. I made Sam eat a few before I actually started in.

We all finished up around a half an hour later but sat back in enjoyment as nourishment filled our bodies. It felt good to be full. Sam and I were still finishing up our milkshakes as Dean started putting money out for the bill.

"Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by dinner, then head south, hit Bisbee by midnight." Dean started and I felt something vibrate between me and Sam. I looked down and pointed to Sam's sweatshirt, which was around his waist.

"I think that was your phone." I said and he nodded reaching for it.

"What's in Bisbee?" I asked now looking at Dean. He seemed extremely occupied by looking at what Sam was doing but answered me anyway.

"There might be a job there. I'm not sure yet though, I was just skimming the newspaper. Looked interesting." 

Maybe it was just me but it seemed like Dean looked agitated that Sam wasn't even looking up at us anymore. Usually he paid half attention when Dean was talking about a job and he was multi tasking. 

"Sam wears woman's underwear…" Dean trailed off and I rolled my eyes. The things he'd say to get people's attention.

"I've been listenin', I'm just busy." Sam said still not looking up. 

"Doing what?" I asked taking a sip from my shake.

"Reading e-mails from my friends at Stanford."

Dean looked at me and then to Sam. "You're kidding. You still keep in touch with your college buddies?"

I sent a look that said knock it off but Dean always tended to be oblivious. Couldn't he just let Sam be normal for once? To have friends and be able to talk to them. I imagined a person like Sam got a lot of friends at Stanford. I missed going to school and hooking up with people to hang out. I missed having best friends. I couldn't think of one person that I had stayed in touch with after I started hunting permanently with Dean. It was kind of sad really. 

"Why not?" He looked up now, I could tell he was irritated enough to make eye contact with Dean to show it. 

"Well, what exactly do you tell 'em? You know, about where you've been, what you've been doing?"

"Dean come on, he's allowed to have friends." I didn't want the fighting to start. That's all anybody would need. Another epic, blown out of proportion Winchester fight. Then we'd sit in that damn Impala, all of us silent and listen to really horrible music because everyone was so pissed no one would change the station. 

Sam handled it nicely though. There wasn't an ounce of anger in his voice. "I tell them I'm on a road trip with my big brother. I tell them I needed some time off after Jess."

"Oh, so you lie to them." Dean said nonchalantly.

"_Dean_." I almost hit the freakin' table. Did he want to start fighting?

"No. I just don't tell them….everything." 

"Yeah, that's called lying. I mean, hey, man, I get it, tellin' the truth is far worse."

"Here we go…" I muttered. 

"So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" Dean just shrugged. "You're serious?" 

"You're full of crap Dean. You hate that. You hate that this job makes you cut out people around you. So don't tell Sam that's the handy dandy way to do it."

Dean looked at me and for moment I thought I had actually hurt his feelings. But the emotion was gone from his eyes as quickly as it had appeared.

Sam rolled his eyes and looked down at one of his incoming e-mails. "God…" He said under his breath.

"What?" I asked. I leaned in closer to him thinking he could show me what he was looking at.

"In this e-mail from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine. I went to school with her, and her brother, Zack. She says Zack's been charged with murder. He's been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case."

"Is she hot?" Dean asked suddenly.

I looked up from the e-mail. "Is that all your brain works on?" 

Dean shrugged, throwing me a small smile. Which just confirmed a big fat yes to my question.

"I know Zack. He's no killer." Sam said closing his phone and placing it in his pocket. "They're in St. Louis. We're going." 

I wanted to say something but I decided against it. Sam was really eager to find something supernatural surrounding these people. But looking at Dean I knew he was thinking the same thing as me. That this might not be our type of job. But Sam was sure of it so I said nothing. I didn't like choosing a Winchester side out loud. It tended to make the other angry so I kept my mouth shut. 

"Look, sorry 'bout your buddy, okay? But this does not sound like our kind of problem." Dean wasn't being sympathetic at all and it made me want to slap him. Like he never had friends he cared about before. 

"It is our problem. They're my friends." Sam disagreed.

Before Dean could make an ass out of himself, again, I kicked him under the table. He looked straight at me and I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Look, Sam's right. They might be in danger, its worth looking into."

I hoped to God Sam wasn't looking smug because all I needed was for Dean having this imagination that I betrayed him somehow. He was such a girl sometimes.

"Alright then. Two against one, let's go." Dean said angrily and got up from his seat. I shook my head. It was going to be a long drive to St. Louis.

0o0o0o0o

We pulled up at Rebecca's house after what seemed like forever. We got out of the car and Sam headed to the front door. I pulled on the collar of Dean's leather jacket and jerked him back.

"What the—"

Sam turned back at the noise and I smiled at him. "Go on ahead Sam, we'll be right there." 

Sam nodded and went to knock on the door while Dean turned and fixed his collar annoyingly.

"You know, there are nicer ways to get my attention."

"Couldn't think of one."

He turned and headed to the door when I did it again. "I pulled you back for a reason."

"What?"

"Look, go easy on Sam okay? He's worried about his friends and I'm sure he doesn't need you squawking in his ear about how lonely he should be. He has friends Dean, its not a bad thing."

I went to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to a halt. I don't know what I said to him but when I looked into his eyes he seemed so upset. He wasn't angry, which is something I was expecting to see. No I hadn't seen this look in a long time. He was sad.

"Look, I'm his brother Andy. Don't tell me what he needs and doesn't alright?"

I just looked at him and searched his eyes. He must have been able to tell I was doing it because he dropped my arm and looked away.

"Come on." He said quietly.

I followed him to the house where Sam introduced us to Rebecca. For once I wasn't thinking about how much Dean was macking on her and how much it annoyed me to all hell. The fact that it was the first time I had made him sad and I didn't know why was filling my thought process completely.

0o0o0o

"So, tell us what happened." Sam started as we headed into her kitchen 

"Well, um, Zack came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn't breathing. So, he called 911, and the police—they showed up, and they arrested him. The only way that Zack could've killed Emily is if he was in two places at the same time. And it shows Zack coming home at 10:30. Now, Emily was killed just after that, but I swear, he was here with me, having a few beers until at least after midnight." She was starting to cry and I looked to Dean and Sam. They were feeling the same way I was.

"You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zack's house." 

I looked at Sam incredulous. She had to have known none of us were cops. "We could?" I asked pointedly.

"Why? I mean, what you could do?" she asked. 

"Well, me and Andy, not much. But Dean's a cop."

I looked to Dean and he laughed like it was a joke of some kind. But as Sam looked at him, he had been totally serious and Dean had no choice but to pick up the lie and add to it. 

"Detective, actually."

"Really?" Dean nodded. Must have taken a lot of effort. And I was talking about holding back from knocking Sam's porch lights out. "Where at?"

"Bisbee, Arizona. But I'm off-duty now."

Obviously. We were in freakin St. Louis. 

"You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just—I don't know."

Before Dean or I could speak up and slowly agree with her Sam stepped in. "Bec, look, I know Zack didn't do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove that he's innocent." 

Rebecca nodded and walked down the hall. Before Sam could follow Dean smacked him in the chest.

"Oh, yeah, man, you're a real straight shooter with your friends." He said sarcastically.

"What were you thinking?" I asked him. "Were you even thinking at all? She finds out that your lying she could call the cops, Dean could get thrown in jail."

"Look, Zack and Becky need our help."

"I understand that Sam but its not worth Dean getting jail time for. Not to mention the feds would be on our ass too." I argued. 

I hated fighting with him but I wasn't stepping down from this. Dean was right; this didn't seem like our type of problem and he was risking our job over it. I understood I could be a hypocrite with things like this. Not two hours ago I had been vouching for Sam. This is why I never said whose side I was on. Because an hour later the other Winchester did something to piss me off and I'd be switching sides. It was always something with these two.

Sam was dead eyeing me now and I don't think I ever saw him so pissed at me. I remember one time when he was seven I had lost his monster trucks and boy, was Sam pissed. He threw a tantrum for weeks. It kind of reminded me of this. Minus the kicking and screaming about hot wheels. 

"We've looked into less. We're doing this. Good thing I really don't need your opinion on this Andy." Sam said coldly and walked down the hall.

I shook my head and looked at the floor as Dean gently placed his arm over my shoulder. "Come on." He said softly. 

I said nothing as we walked out. I was pretty much defeated at that point.

0o0o0o0

We followed Rebecca to Zack's house. It only took about ten minutes but it felt so much longer. Was today national time stall day or something? Every time I got into that Impala it just felt like it was taking forever to get somewhere. Maybe it was because every time I got in the Impala today someone had been mad or upset. I spent the entire ride looking out the window. Sam did the same, except for the occasional filling of silence by asking random questions. Dean tried to talk to me and include me in conversations but I was in no mood. I gave him short answers and continued my look out the window.

"You're sure this is okay?" Rebecca asked. It was like she was asking us to make sure we knew what the hell we were getting ourselves into. I looked to Dean unsure, but he really had no choice. Sam had written for our teleprompters.

"Yeah. I am an officer of the law." Dean said cockily and Rebecca nodded and opened the door. 

The furniture and walls of the house were smeared with blood and I instantly felt my stomach churn. And when I say blood, I'm not talking about a paper cut or a bad nosebleed. I'm talking about the bucket of pig's blood poured on Carrie. I grimaced and tried looking at anything but the blood but it was everywhere. I heard Sam ask Rebecca if she would rather stay outside and she declined, stepping ahead of me.

"Andy?" Sam asked. "You coming?"

Not an 'are you okay' or a nice 'would you rather stay outside'. Just an annoyed 'are you coming'. I just looked at him. He knew how I felt about blood, especially a lot of it. I was starting to feel dizzy and my stomach hurt to no end. I just turned my head and headed back down the stairs and sat on the last step. If I wasn't embarrassed before, I was now. I hated being the weak link on hunts. But its not like I could re-program my body to not be sick around blood. It just doesn't work that way.

I heard someone come down the stairs and place a hand on my back. "You alright?" Dean asked me.

I nodded, taking shallow breaths. I think larger ones would have caused me to vomit and I was _not_ doing that in front of Dean.

"Yeah, there's a lot of blood in there. You want me to wait here with you?"

I shook my head. I knew he'd rather be looking for demon clues, its just who he was. But it was a sweet gesture and it didn't go unnoticed. I figured Sam would have offered the same thing if he hadn't been pissed at me. Although the thing was if Sam hadn't been mad at me, I didn't think Dean would be out here playing nice. It wasn't every day that Dean threw out being cocky and sarcastic for being sweet and gentle. I wish he was like that all the time, I really loved him like that. But you can't change a guy that way. Basically what you see, is what you get. Scratch the surface and what do you find? More surface.

"No you don't have to. I'll be okay in a few minutes. Plus, if I go back inside it'll just make it worse."

He nodded and stood, heading back to the house. "You sure?" he asked.

"Dean, if I don't settle my stomach down I'm going to throw up in your car."

"Take all the time you need. I'm serious. If you ruin the upholstery I'm leaving you on the side of the road."

I smiled as he went back inside. I was already feeling a bit better.

0o0o00o

"So, the neighbor's dog went psycho right around the time Zack's girlfriend was killed." Dean told me as we got back into the car.

"How you feeling?" Sam asked me.

"Fine, not that you care." I muttered rubbing my temples.

He turned in his seat. "I just asked didn't I?"

"Okay, okay." Dean interrupted us. "Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal right? Maybe Fido saw somethin'." 

"So, you think maybe this _is_ our kind of problem?" I wasn't really sure if the emphasis was directed to me or Dean. But it made me want to grip the seat. 

Dean shook his head, his ego taking the credit. "No. Probably not. But we should look at the security tape, you know, just to make sure." 

"So Rebecca has the tape of the security footage. I told her we'd head over there later to take a look at it." Sam said as Dean started the car.

"How'd she get it?" I asked.

"Stole it."

I laughed. "Well if she can do that maybe we should just tell her Dean's really not a cop."

Sam looked back at me and glared. Apparently it wasn't as funny as I thought it was.

"Don't you dare say a word. It'll ruin her brother's case."

He seemed furious. Like I just insulted Jessica or something. How could he even think I was serious? I have would never jeopardized something that. Especially since I knew his friends were important to him. But apparently Sam forgot that I cared about him.

"Whatever." I sneered. "Then you should have thought of that before you mentioned Dean was a cop at all."

I got out of the car and slammed the door. "I'm walking, I need fresh air."

"Andy!" Dean stuck his head out the window.

I turned and I walked in the other direction. I heard some shuffling and someone getting out of the car.

"Andy, wait come on. Do you even know where you're heading?" Dean asked, catching up to me.

"I don't care." I turned around and saw the Impala was gone. "Where's Sam?" More important question. "You let him drive your car?"

Dean shrugged. "Its only ten minutes to Rebecca's and I know how to get there. We can walk back. Figured you needed some time anyway to stop imagining Sam's head as something you should hit."

"Really?" I asked. This _definitely_ wasn't the Dean I knew. But I wasn't going to complain. I could feel those feelings starting to bubble to the surface again. The ones I thought were a figment of an overstressed night.

"Well even if I said no, its kind of too late. Sam took the car." He said smiling.

"Oh, right." I said embarrassed. Now of course I was going to act like a total moron. Leave it to me to like someone and be a total dork about it. Before I knew it I'd be tripping over my own feet and saying things I didn't really mean.

"You know Sam's not trying to be an ass alright? I mean he cares a lot about you. We both do. He's just worried about his friend." I nodded. "And you know, you don't exactly make it easy to keep a cool head."

I smiled. "Its from hanging around you too long." 

He grinned and placed his arm over my shoulder again and we headed back to Rebecca's. It was the second time today he'd done that and I couldn't help but notice the way my stomach fluttered when he did so.

0o0o0o0o0o

ok so next chapter i'll be adding a shapeshifter as andy and as dean also. i'm thinking there will have to be a POV for the andy shapeshifter and for andy. its still up in the air, but i'm pretty sure i know how i'm going to do it :D


	14. Chapter 13: Skin Part 2

remember i'll be shifting between a POV of the shapeshifer as Dean and Andy. you'll be able to tell when it's the shapeshifter. 

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 13: Skin Part 2

Dean and I made our way back to the house and Sam was sitting on the couch in the living room talking with Rebecca.

"Hey, hope its okay we just walked in. The door was open." Dean said motioning to the door.

I sat on the arm of the couch and Sam offered me a sip of his beer. I just looked at him. Was he serious? Were we not fighting twenty minutes ago? But I nodded and figured let bygones be bygones. I wasn't going to let a stupid little thing like that keep me mad at him. I took the bottle and took a short sip, passing it back to him with a small smile. He smiled back as Rebecca got up to check the door. I'm glad it only took a sip from a bottle and a smile to fix things with Sam. He was one of those people I could never stay mad at. Maybe it was because he was always so sweet and gentle all the time; whereas people like Dean were rough around the edges. Although rough wasn't something I had trouble dealing with…

"Sorry, I was pretty sure I locked that." Rebecca said returning. "Why don't I get you two some beers and I'll show you that tape."

We followed her into her other living room, yes she had like three, and popped in the security tape. We all watched closely as her brother darted across the street.

"22:04, that's just after ten. You said time of death was about 10:30." Dean said, looking at the bottom of the screen. 

Rebecca nodded. "Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with."

I noticed Sam seemed to shift and notice something on the screen. "Hey, Bec, can you get me a refill by chance?"

She nodded and got up to head to the kitchen when Sam called her to turn around again.

"Maybe some sandwiches, too?" He smiled that dorky smile anyone could fall for. I knew by adding sandwiches he must have found something that needed discussing.

"What do you think this is, Hooters?" she asked and looked directly at Dean before turning around. 

I scoffed as Dean smiled. She wasn't attractive or big enough chested to even _mop the floor_ at Hooters. And there I go again. One little smile at Dean and I'm ready to pull the other persons hair out. What the hell was wrong with me?

"I wish." Dean said shaking his head and walked past me. He only brushed against me but my skin was instantly tingling. Like the way your foot or hand falls asleep. But this time it was my whole body and the tingling wasn't pins and needles. It was something that made my stomach twist into knots. "What is it?" he asked. 

"Check this out." Sam said rewinding the tape. One of the frames showed Zack looking exactly at the camera, but his eyes were glowing silver.

"What the hell is that?" I asked, my face going closer to the screen.

"Maybe it's just a camera flare." Dean offered.

"Pretty freakin' weird flare." 

Sam nodded in agreement. "That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen. You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul." 

"Remember that dog that was freakin' out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zack's, something that looks like him but isn't him." Dean said looking at the screen again. 

"Like a Doppelganger." I said smiling a little. It was kind of cool thinking that this thing could be anything it wanted. Could be any _person_ it wanted. Although I guess the killing kind of took the shine off it.

"Yeah, it'd sure explain how he was two places at once."

I nodded. Wonder how in the hell we'd explain this to Rebecca. She was gonna run in the other direction, most people did when things like this happened.

0o0o0o0o

"Alright, so what are we doin' here at 5:30 in the morning?" Dean asked stepping out of the car. I just shook my head and lay down in the back of the Impala. I loved Sam to death but he was a morning person. And all morning people should be damned. He was way too awake and happy at 5:30 to be normal. Dean and I saw anything before ten as the devil and good morning was defiantly an oxy moron. 

Dean tapped on the window. "Hey sleeping beauty, rise and shine. If I have to suffer so do you."

I grunted at him and rolled on my other side. I was still in my pajamas none the less. Dean basically had to pull me from bed. Thank god I was wearing sweats and a camisole, otherwise pajama bottoms with little ducks on them would be highly embarrassing.

Dean made one final attempt. "I'll give you the rest of my coffee." 

I sat up. I didn't understand why I didn't have one in the first place. I heard Sam yell at me to get up and said he was going out to get coffee. I guess I skipped over the part that said, 'Andy get your ass out of bed or no caffeine IV'. Ergo, I had no coffee.

I got out of the car and he handed the coffee to me. "Maybe more sleep would be good for you. Ya know, more of the beauty kind."

I glared at him, ready to pour the coffee somewhere uncomfortable on his person. "That better have some kind of compliment or you're getting this coffee in a place that'll scar."

His mouth slowly formed into a grin and he looked away from me and at Sam, who was across the street looking at the back of Zack's house. 

"I realized something." Sam said walking back over to us.

"That 5:30 is still in the AM and people need sleep to function?" I asked.

"The videotape shows the killer goin' in, but not comin' out." Sam said ignoring my anti early attitude. 

"So, he came out the back door?" Dean asked.

"Right. So, there should be a trail to follow. A trail the police would never pursue." 

Dean nodded, catching on. "Right, because they think the killer never left. And they caught your friend Zack inside." 

"So two places at once." I said taking a whiff of the strong coffee. I wondered if caffeine could fuel you that way. Wow, off topic. "What are we thinking?"

Sam and Dean thought for a second. "Shape shifter?" Sam asked and Dean shrugged.

It seemed most likely. "Something that can make itself look like anyone?"

"Every culture in the world has shape shifter lore. You know legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men." Dean said shifting against the car. 

"I picked up a trail around the corner. Someone ran out the back of this building and headed off this way. But the thing is the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared." 

Dean looked confused and I looked at the ground seeing a grate and manhole. "Well, there's another way to go." They both looked at me and I gestured to the ground. "Down." 

0o0o0o0o

"I can't believe were heading into the sewer." I grimaced heading down the latter. I looked down at the Winchesters and Dean grabbed my arm helping me down the last few pegs.

"What afraid you'll break a nail?" Dean asked.

I rolled my eyes. "You're the one afraid of rats."

Sam laughed, opening up the duffel bag. "You can fight hell spawns but a little furry rat terrifies you?"

"I believe she used the word afraid. And rats are creepy. Little beady eyes and tails." Dean added a little disgusted.

I smiled and turned my flashlight on, rolling the ends of my sweatpants a bit. I was _not_ getting sewer on the ends. "Right, and _I'm _the girl of this team."

Dean shoved a handgun into my hands and turned around to lead. I smiled and placed the gun in the waistband of my sweats and followed him, Sam behind me.

"I bet this runs right by Zack's house. The shape shifter could be using the sewer system to get around." Sam said looking around at the pipes and walls.

Dean stopped and bent down. I hadn't realized he'd done it and almost tripped over him. And looking at what he'd found, I'm glad I didn't. "I think you're right. Look at this."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

I bent down beside Dean and Sam towered over us. There was a disgusting mess that made me want to lose the coffee I had just drunk. It was mostly looked like milk and honey coated the floor. But it definitely did not smell that way. I guess it really couldn't when you figured out it was actually skin and blood. A big old pool of it. 

Sam grimaced. "Is this from his victims?" 

Dean took out a pocketknife and swirled it around in the liquid. Did he really have to play with it like it was silly puddy or something? 

"You know, I just had a sick thought. When the shape shifter changes shape—maybe it sheds."

I nodded and stood up and let Sam step in front of me.

"That is sick." Sam agreed. 

"Well, at least were sure of one thing, one thing I learned from Dad, is that no matter what kind of shape shifter it is, there's one sure way to kill it." 

Sam smiled. "Silver bullet to the heart."

Dean stepped over the vile and Sam did also. Sam walked ahead while Dean paused to reach his hand out to help me. I took it and did the largest leap I could to avoid sliding in the mess. Unfortunately, I over stepped because I slammed right into Dean. He hit the wall and I landed against him. I couldn't tell whether it was moments or seconds we stayed like that; just holding my hand and looking at each other. There couldn't have been something there for him right? He still saw me when I was seven taking his monster trucks? Still saw me in pigtails and chasing Sammy around the backyard? A breath caught in my throat as he shifted and I pushed back from him.

"Sorry." I muttered.

I stepped back further and headed down the passage after Sam. I didn't want him to confirm my questions.

0o0o0o0o

"I think we're close to its lair." Dean said as we caught up with him. 

"Why do you say that?" I asked and tried to get my voice to relax a bit. Just be normal. It was just Dean. 

"Because there's another puke-inducing pile next to your face." Dean said motioning to the side of my head. I jerked back and screamed and Dean snickered. I punched him in the shoulder.

"Real funny jackass." I said shaking my head, like I had gotten it in my hair or something.

Dean just continued laughing and stepped ahead of me. Yeah, I was right. Just Dean. Same old jackass ass antics Dean.

"Looks like it's lived here for a while." Dean said observing the somewhat large room. It had clothes and jewelry spilled about. But it was still messy. It had skin every other place on the floor and large pipes attached to the ground. I guessed they were water pipes or duh, sewage.

"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with." Sam said turning to look back down the passage. His eyes got wide and for some reason my eyes were glued on him. "Andy, behind you!" 

I turned as quickly as I could but it was just in time for me to get slammed into the wall by the shifter. My back collided with the wall and it felt like my spine was shattering. I forgot how strong the damn things were. It headed towards Dean and Sam as I slumped to the ground trying to regain my breathing. It had knocked the air right out of me, not to mention my ribcage felt like it was in pieces.

Dean raised his weapon and shot. It ricocheted off the walls and the shifter looked around frantically, running in the other direction.

"Andy…" Dean started and threw the gun at Sam. "Run after it." 

Sam took off and Dean came to my side, helping me stand. "I got it, I'm fine. Go after the damn thing." I grit my teeth as pain shot through my spine.

"You can barely stand." Dean said helping me once again. For once I didn't want him to touch me, I wanted him to do his damn job. I was always getting in the way.

"Go, I'll be fine." He looked at me unsure. "_Go_! You'll never forgive yourself if something happens to Sam." 

That looked like it got him thinking and he nodded, taking off down the passage. I tried straightening my back and running after him but it took too much effort and I was pretty sure my spinal cord had turned an entire 360. I'd just have to walk. Its not like anyone was down here anyway, Sam had chased the shape shifter up through the manhole again.

I heard something shift behind me and I turned slowly. Where the hell was my pistol? I took the thing out from my waistband and pointed it in front of me. I slowly walked foreword to the thing's lair again and looked around. Nothing seemed to be there but rats. Until someone came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist and his hand over my mouth.

I screamed and jerked against it but all he did was hold me tighter. "Shhh." He whispered against my ear and I couldn't help but shiver. "Just need to borrow your skin for a while my dear."

Everything went black.

0o0o0o0o

I tried pushing myself against the far wall. I saw a car across the street. It shined with its black beauty against the sun's glares. It was a nice build too. 67 Chevy, midnight black. Hadn't seen a fine one in condition in a long while. I saw two men approach it, one tall and one short. They both seemed out of breath and looking frantically around them. I put my head to my hand slowly.

"_Hey Andy." Dean said coming into the kitchen with a .45 in one hand._

_Sam brought me closer to him and he stroked my hair. "He knew Andy; just like you know he loves you."_

"_Yeah, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be focusing on this. We have a job to do and those people are in danger." I tried pushing the job in front of my emotions. Like I was supposed to do._

_I nodded. "He passed it on to you. He wants you to pick up where he left off. Saving people, hunting things, your family business." _

_Dean walked closer to me and urged me to continue._

"_I didn't know what was wrong with them, hell I didn't even know if there was an actual problem. So I said nothing. And you guys went on the hunt and my dad died." _

My head ached as the girls recent memories filled my thoughts. This girl Andy was just as alone as I was. Her life was forced to be something that she never wanted; that she couldn't handle. But she had Sam and she had Dean, I had no one. How could her life be that bad? A slow smile spread over my face as I looked at the two boys. Maybe being Andrea Core was who I was meant to be.

0o0o0o0o

I looked at them for moment, deciding if it was the best time to move. They seemed like they were searching hard for this Andy girl, why not make an appearance?

"Did you see her come out?" the shorter one barked at the tall. He seemed highly upset. The girl must have meant a lot to him. But as I shifted through Andy's thoughts nothing seemed to alert that they meant more to each other. Maybe he was just worried about her.

The tall one looked worried too, but seemed to have a cool head. "Maybe she's looking for the damn thing. I did lose it." 

"She would have come back to the car Sam. She was hurt. Damn it!" He kicked the tire of the car. "I should have never left her down there by herself. If anything happens to her, it's my fault."

Sam was the taller one, so the shorter was Dean. Had to get the names right if I was Andy now.

"Dude, calm down." Sam tried coaxing. "She'll be okay."

Hurt? That's right, I slammed her against the wall. I put on the fakest hurt voice I could muster, and grabbed my side a little. "Dean…" I muttered.

Dean's head jerked to me. "Andy!"

Both of them rushed to my side, trying to help me from falling over.

"Where the hell were you?" Dean yelled. "We were worried." 

I could feel Andy thinking Dean was controlling and orderly. Always about the job, never about emotions or people. Maybe Dean and I weren't too far apart either. After I was done with Andy, I had to think about giving Dean's skin a test drive too. He as much of a loner as Andy and I were. 

"You think he found another way underground?" Sam asked, helping me lean against the car. 

I nodded. I felt like I could add to it. "Yeah, probably. You got the keys?"

I wanted to drive that car. Hadn't wanted things in a long while. Except for someone and a skin I could call my own. But the car was definitely something on the list now.

Sam looked at me oddly. "You know Dean always has the keys. It's his car."

"Oh right…" I said faltering. I shifted through Andy's thoughts as quickly as I could. 

"_Well even if I said no, it's kind of too late. Sam took the car." Dean said smiling._

I shrugged. "I keep thinking you had them since you drove this morning and when you were pissed at me yesterday. Remember?"

Sam nodded slowly and looked at Dean. "Hey, didn't Dad once face a shape shifter in San Antonio?" 

Dean shook his head, looking at me oddly too. Maybe this skin wasn't going to stay mine for too long. "It was Austin. And it was a thought former, physic projection." 

"He was pissed too. Thought he came all that way to kill a shifter." I smiled at the memory. Well it wasn't really my memory but it was enough to fool the boys. I wondered what it was like, to have original memories. I couldn't remember one time where I had a thought that was actually my own.

Dean smiled and took the keys from Sam. "Know you're all gung ho to drive the car but your back's gotta be killing you." He said putting a hand on my shoulder.

I swore at myself for throwing the damn girl into the wall. I nodded and leaned into his touch. He seemed a little surprised so I pulled back a little. But from what I could tell Andy and Dean were way past awkward gestures. 

He opened the door and he and Sam walked to their seats ahead of mine. I stroked the leather of the seat and looked at the two guys briefly. Andy didn't deserve her life, her skin. She had no idea what she _had_. Had is past tense. It was mine now.

"Don't move!" One of them said and I looked up. Both of them had pistols aimed straight at me.

I stood and looked at them both warily. 

"I said, don't move." Sam spat.

"Chill, what's wrong with you two?" I asked trying to make my voice shake with fear. Like I was actually terrified they'd shoot me.

"What have you done with her?" Dean demanded.

"What are you talking about? It's me Dean." I pleaded. I could tell it was affecting him. Him more than Sam, it just confirmed that Andy and Dean had a lot more going for them than they let out. So scared to end up alone and they had each other and didn't even know it.

"No, I don't think so." Sam took over, seeing as how Dean wasn't threatening anymore. "Where is she?" 

"You're about to shoot her. Sam, calm down. Dean tell him."

"Your back doesn't even hurt. I saw the way Andy hit the wall, she could barely stand let alone climb into the car." Dean spat. 

"Yeah, I'm better. What do you want me to do, cry?" I provoked. This wasn't working. I'd have to take care of it soon. Stash the brothers where I stashed the girl.

"You're not her." Dean said. Anger was basically dripping from his voice. It seemed acidic.

"Why don't you pull the trigger then boys?" I cried. They hesitated a lot longer then I thought they would have. Lucky for me they weren't sure. 

"Don't." Sam threatened as I stepped foreword. They still hadn't made one move to cock their weapons. So I was no where near endangered. 

"Or what?" I smiled. "You'll shoot me. Wait till they drop Sam, then try that line again."

I threw a punch and kicked the weapon from Sam's hands and caught it, back handing Dean with it. As Dean fell back, Sam reacted. It only took one hit to knock him to the ground and two hits to knock the other out. I shook my head and looked at both of them. Was that really necessary? I kneeled next to an unconscious Dean and ran my hand over his face. Too bad they'd never know, him and Andy, if they could make it. If they could even try. They'd never see each other again.

0o0o0o0

I shook my head and groaned. My back was killing me. And above that I knew when I got to Sam and Dean again, if my back didn't, _they_ were going to kill me. I was so stupid letting the shifter get a jump on me like that. I got injured, I cried, got tied up to a pole in the shifters lair with a bag over my head. What the hell did I do well? Anything? Other then add comic relief and a feminine perfume smell to the Impala?

I heard someone approaching me and I prayed to God it was Dean or Sam. The bag was removed and I shook my head. My head was killing too. I was surprised I hadn't severely injured my chest, seeing as how everything else hurt and how I collided with a wall and landed with my chest against the concrete.

"Dean?" I asked, his blurred feature coming into form . I don't think I was ever happier to see him.

He just looked at me. "Well come on, untie me."

He stood and I shook my head. "No…where's Dean…and Sam."

It had to be the shifter. And if Dean and Sam weren't alright, I didn't care what lengths I had to go to. The thing would be dead by my hands by sundown.

"Your boys are a little hogtied right now." He said smoothly, leaning down closer to me.

"You son of a bitch." I muttered and he back handed me. The hit was quick and the sting was slow up my jaw. I didn't know what made it hurt more. The fact that the shifter was stronger than a man or the fact that I thought it was Dean hitting me. A tear escaped my eye and I shook my head angrily.

"Aw, hush now Andy." The shifter cooed. Dean's hand came up and rubbed my face and I jerked back disgusted.

"You don't even sound human." I said angrily. 

"I sound just like Dean." He said cockily. "And honestly? I'd enjoy it if I were you. Because this? This might be the very last time you see or hear anything that remotely reminds you of him."

"What did you do to him? To Sam?" I asked. I tried keeping my emotions in check. But he knew they were my weak spots. Just like I was Sam and Dean's.

"You don't really wanna know." He said then chuckled. "Ya know, it's odd." He kneeled down close to my face. "I can't sift out how he feels about you. On one hand he can't stand you Andy. The fact that you're on the road with him and that you want a normal life. Jealous I guess. The fact that Sam and you are so close. Sharing things and budding up against him."

I shook my head. "That's not true."

"Isn't it? I was in your head too Andy. Can't lie to me."

I looked down as tears filled my eyes. "Where are they?" I asked again. It was my last attempt at anger. "Where's Dean?" 

"I am Dean." He whispered sensuously. He leaned in and left a small kiss on my cheek. It made me furious, but I kept my cool. Ending up dead would help no one. "See deep down. I'm just scared. That you'll leave and I'll have no but myself. I need you Andy, more than I need anyone. I know I'm freak. And sooner or later you'll see it too."

Did Dean really feel that way? Did he really think I was going to leave him? No matter what would have happened, I would have never left him. I loved him, both of them. They were all I had left.

He then leaned in and kissed me hard. So hard I thought I felt blood seep into my mouth. When he pulled back and I opened my eyes he was gone.

The thing that scared me the most was that Dean had kissed me. Hard and passionate and I enjoyed it. It wasn't even Dean. Not the real one and I still felt like I was on fire. 

0o0o0o0o

"That Andy is a pistol." I said still in Dean's skin. I approached the brother's slowly, gouging their reactions.

"If you touch her, I swear to God…" Dean threatened angrily.

I laughed, interrupting his banter. Andy was right in thinking he was full of hot air and not much else. "Oh I already did. Kissed her hard and shamelessly."

Dean's face was twitching with anger and I watched Sam watch him. Dean was now pulling against the ropes that held his wrists against the pole. Apparently no one knew about Dean's little crush. Oh, this _was_ going to be fun. Always was more fun when people had secrets. Meant they had something to lose.

"And let me tell you Dean…" I said walking towards them. "She enjoyed it."

Sam and Dean both seemed a little surprised now. Couldn't hide anything now.

"I don't know why you're holding back on her." I said. "She's fine in all the right places." 

Dean jerked against his ropes again and I smiled slowly. "Got a thing for her, don't you Dean?"

"Even if I did, we'd never happen."

I was interested even more now. Humans fascinated me. I never knew what drove a person to love or hate or to kill. I did everything out of instinct. Out of pure drive.

"And why not?"

"Not my type. And I don't date. You should know that since you're going through my head and everything." Dean added. He seemed furious and I could tell he was full of it.

Making Andy sound less and less appealing was just adding to the point that he was in love with her. Making her sound less to him so I'd back off and focus on something else.

I remembered Andy thinking something and looked back at Dean. He had pointed out a pressure point and I knew exactly how to push on it. "You're right. You don't date. Only screw right? That's all Andy thinks she's going to be for you. Just one late night screw."

Dean pulled against the ropes again and I smiled, throwing the bag over his head.

"Don't you dare go near her." He bellowed as I covered Sam's head as well.

"Oh, don't worry." I said as I went to head down the passageway to Andy. "She'll think its all you. I promise." 

0o0o0o0o0o

:D did you enjoy? if not tell me why. i love hearing opinions and ideas.


	15. Chapter 14: Skin Part 3

i hope i get some feedback on this D:

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 14: Skin Part 3

I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there but I hoped Dean and Sam were alright. I couldn't feel my back at the moment. Pretty sure it had gone numb about ten minutes ago; I needed an icepack. Or like six of them. I heard someone approach the end of the passageway and I stopped trying to wiggle my hands from the ropes. It was Dean. Well at least it looked like Dean. I basically knew if both of them didn't show up, it wasn't the real Dean. Why did it have to look like him? Anybody but him.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He jolted foreword and grabbed my hair, pulling my head back. I felt my shirt rip and pain shoot through my back from being twisted in a direction it wasn't supposed to go. I tried screaming but I should have known better. He put his hand over my mouth and the room went white again.

0o0o0o0o

When I woke up gentle hands were untying the ropes. I jolted up thinking it was the shifter.

"Hey, hey calm down, it's us." Sam said holding my shoulders. "It's us."

I looked between both Dean and Sam who were now waiting for me to calm down before loosening the rope again.

I realized how bare Sam's hands were on my collar bone and I looked down. Dean's jacket was placed overtop of me and from what I could tell, I hadn't had a shirt on when they'd found me. I looked to Dean and he didn't meet my eyes. I could tell he was really upset. Tears formed in my eyes as Dean and Sam pulled at the ropes. 

"Shh." Sam said quietly. He probably thought my wrists were sore from the ropes. They were but that wasn't even hitting my radar.

"Got it." Dean muttered quietly and I pulled my hands back, making the jacket shift down. They could now see my shoulders and the end of my collar bone. They both shifted their eyes so I could fix it. But I couldn't do it without help. My back was on fire from rubbing my spine against the pole and I couldn't feel my wrists. I looked to Dean but I shook my head, I didn't want his hands on me. And it looked like he knew that. Knew that the shifter had touched me as him. I felt bad asking Sam for help, because all in all none of this was Dean's fault. It wasn't his fault the shifter had assumed his face and I didn't blame him; I never did. I'd have to say something later, that's all I could do.

Sam nodded and Dean stood, turning around. "Jesus…" Sam breathed as he saw the bruises up and down my arms and shoulders. Hadn't they seen them when they had come in? I hadn't noticed it until right then and tears escaped my eyes and fell down my cheeks. I leaned into Sam and he lifted me in his arms to carry me back to the Impala.

It was night when we got to the street the car had been parked on, but it wasn't there. Dean started to look frantically and Sam shifted me in his arms.

"The son of a bitch took my car!" he screamed.

"The shifter left as you." I mumbled, looking at Dean and Sam looked down at me. 

"We gotta find a phone, call the police." Sam said setting me down on the curb.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna put an APB out on me?" Dean asked roughly.

"There's probably one already. The shifter said he was heading to Rebecca's. That's why he took the car." I had just remembered that part now and I felt horrible for not remembering it earlier.

Dean kneeled down in front of me. "Are you sure?" 

I nodded. He could talk to me if it included business and I was mad at him for not swallowing his guilt. I knew he felt horrible for letting this happen to me, but it wasn't his fault. It was my own.

Dean looked at Sam and then looked down at his shirt. He had on a blue polo and lifted it over his head. He had a nice thin undershirt underneath and he handed it to me. I wish the car would have been here. I had clothes in the trunk. I took it from him and both of them turned again. I slipped the warm polo over my body and took in the comforting scent of Dean. I then shrugged the jacket over it and smiled a little. But it was short lived, I was just glad I wasn't so exposed in front of them anymore. I had already felt bad Sam had to help me with the jacket and carry me out.

Maybe Dean was warming up. He leaned foreword and pulled me to a stand. But that idea was quickly crushed when he pushed me over in Sam's direction.

"Help her walk, come on. We gotta find my damn car." 

I leaned against Sam as he wrapped an arm around my waist. So much for that idea.

0o0o0o0o

"You're a nice girl, Rebecca. I mean, I liked you." I said softly, twisting the knife gently in my hands. "Believe me that makes this harder. But I gotta do what I gotta do."

Being Dean was simpler than the girl. I think I related to what he was feeling. I could tell he looked in the mirror everyday and had no idea who he really was, or what he was doing with his life. It was easy to build a life from that; basically from nothing. I moved towards Rebecca and she screamed against the gag. I really hated it when they screamed. I pressed against the gag and pushed the knife to her throat. It was funny how silent people got when their life was threatened. I heard someone in the next room and motioned the bitch to be quiet. Damnit. I'd been found out. Usually I made it out before the cops or S.W.A.T team got there. 

I ducked into another room as they came across the hall but they saw me anyway and went right after me.

"Freeze!" one of them shouted. "Drop the knife! Drop the knife! Drop the knife!"

I smiled and turned. Oh, I'd drop it. Right in one of their bodies. I threw it at the officer aiming the gun at me. It caught square in his leg and slumped to the ground. I turned and punched another and saw the balcony. I ran quickly, avoiding gunshots and jumped off the veranda. They were still shooting as I ran across the lawn but none of them even grazed me. Humans had a poor shot. But something told me if the Winchesters found me it would only take one shot to end me. 

0o0o0o0o

Walking quickly down a semi-crowded street and I tried to not rely on Sam as much I could. It looked like I was a beat up house wife or something. Nothing like bruises and limping to draw attention. But as I looked up, my eyes grew wide. There were worse things to grab attention.

"Sam, Dean." They stopped and looked back at me, following my gaze. There were T.V's in a display window playing the news.

"An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where an S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged. Her attacker, a white male, approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home." The reporter said and a sketch of Dean appeared on the screen. 

"Man! That's not even a good picture." I just looked at him. His cockiness was bullshit. He was terrified. 

"It's good enough." Sam said looking around cautiously and I nodded. We decided to head down an alley and Dean swore as he stepped into a puddle. 

"Come on." Sam said, pausing for Dean to stop bitching about his damn pants. "They said attempted murder. At least we know—" 

"I didn't kill her." Dean insisted angrily. Well, yeah obviously we knew that.

"We'll check with Rebecca in the morning, see if she's all right." Sam said shifting me to his other arm.

"All right, but first I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him."

I nodded. "I figured we could kill him this time?" I asked. They both looked at me cautiously. I could give a flying fuck what they thought of me at that moment. I wanted the damn thing in the ground. We stopped walking and Sam looked at us both. 

"We have no weapons. No silver bullets." Sam said. 

"Sam, the guy's walking' around with my face, okay?" He then glanced at me. "It's a little personal, I wanna find him." Dean snapped. It was a little more personal for other reasons as well. Dean hadn't said anything to me since we started walking to find the car. I knew it was more personal because of what happened to me. He wanted to find it and kill it himself for assuming his form and touching me.

"Okay." Sam nodded. It was better to just not argue with Dean when he was like this. "Where do we look?"

"Well, we could start with the sewers." He really didn't have anything to go on.

"Ok," Sam said trying to repeat this more gently to not set anyone off. "We have no weapons. He stole our guns, we need more."

I looked up. "The car?"

Dean nodded. "I'm bettin' he drove over to Rebecca's."

"The news said he fled on foot. I bet it's still parked there." Sam said. 

Dean looked at Sam, upset. He clenched his fists. " The thought of him driving my car." 

I couldn't help but smile. "All right, come on." 

Dean shook his head. "It's killing me." 

"Let it go." Sam warned.

We headed over to Rebecca's and around the side of the house was sitting Dean's car. It was still fine and I think Dean would have had a heart attack if his car would have been scratched or dented. I was feeling better and motioned that I could walk without Sam's help.

"Oh, there she is!"

I thought he was going to start stroking it or something. "Dean, can't you do this when you're alone or something?"

He looked at me and glared playfully but it quickly faded and he looked away from me again. 

"Finally, something went right tonight." Dean said looking around his car. 

"Oh, crap." I said as I saw a police car show up down the street.

"You guys go. I'll hold 'em off."

"No." I shook my head incessantly.

Dean looked at him like he was crazy. "What are you talking about? They'll catch you."

Sam shook his head. "Look, they can't hold me. Just go, keep out of sight. Meet me at Rebecca's." Dean had no choice but to grab my hand and pull me towards a fence. He pushed me up and I climbed over it. He did the same and I heard Sam yell to stay out of the sewers. Dean screamed back an annoyed assurance and we ran in the other direction as fast as we could. 

0o0o0o0o

We waited till morning until we went back to the car. I changed into jeans and a small white t-shirt. 

"What are you doing?" I asked him, combing out the knots in my brown locks.

"You know me—I just can't wait." He said closing the truck and turning away.

"I'm coming with you." 

He jerked to a stop and turned around. "No you're not." 

"Not this again Dean. You can't stop me. I want to come with you." 

"I will tie you to that phone pole. Don't think I won't."

He was just looking out for me but I flinched nonetheless. All images of the shifter flooded my mind and he must have seen my face because he looked down.

"Sorry." He muttered.

I shook my head. "You know it's not your fault right?"

"I should have _never_ left you down there by yourself." Dean said shaking his head. "If anything worse would have happened to you…" He trailed off and swallowed. 

I stepped towards him and hugged him gently. He sighed and slowly wrapped his arms around me.

"It's not your fault." I repeated. "But if you feel bad about that, how you gonna feel if you leave me up here again."

He pulled back and nodded. I took a rifle from him and smiled. "Plus, I'm pissed at the thing now. Want to play no mercy?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

I walked ahead of him but I could practically feel his grin and smirk.

0o0o0o0

"Ew." I said looking at the floor in the sewer. Other piles of blood and skin were coating the floor. 

We heard someone whimpering and moaning in the corner behind the pipes. I looked to Dean and he nodded for me to draw out my weapon. I did so and we snuck slowly behind the pipelines, going towards the noise. There was someone covered with a sheet and Dean removed it.

"Rebecca?" Dean asked. 

I looked to Dean and he looked back at me. Sam.

0o0o0o

I couldn't believe I was entertaining this. I should just kill him and get it over with. That way I could shed this skin and become the other brother again. But I entertained it and handed Sam the beer and he thanked me. 

"So, say this shape shifter is real. By the way, you know you're crazy? But, um, say it is real. How do you stop it?" I asked, flipping back the golden hair over my shoulder. I had liked Andy's hair more than this Rebecca's. 

Sam sighed. "Silver bullet to the heart."

I chuckled slightly. "You _are_ crazy." 

I slammed the empty bottle I had in my hand at Sam's head and he fell over, unconscious. Dean and the girl would come now. I was ending this once and for all.

0o0o0o0o 

"What happened?" Dean asked leaning down to untie Rebecca's ropes. 

She started crying and I leaned down as well to help Dean. "I was walking home and everything just went white. Someone hit me over the head, and I wound up here just in time to see that thing turn into me. I don't know how is that even possible?" 

"Okay, okay. It's okay." Dean tried calming and finished untying her. "Come on. Can you walk?" she asked and she nodded. "Okay, we've gotta hurry. Sam went to see you."

0o0o0o0o

"I must say, I will be sorry to lose this skin. Your brother's got a lot of good qualities. You should appreciate him more than you do." I said pouring myself a shot. Sam was now tied and laying on the floor. I had no choice to lose this skin. It was disappointing really. I didn't think I'd find another one quite like this. "Cheers." I said taking a sip and picking up the butcher knife on Rebecca's kitchen table. I stuck it in the table and watched Sam squirm momentarily at the sight of the knife and turned to take another sip. I had time, mise well finish the drink and then take care of business.

Unfortunately Sam had other ideas. He lifted his legs and kicked me in my midsection and sat up quickly, moving his ropes along the blade. They broke and he stood. I got up as quickly as could but Sam had the knife and swung it at me. I grabbed his arm in mid-swing and wrestled him to the ground and grinned.

"Not bad, little brother." 

"You're not him." Sam sneered and pushed me off. 

"Hey!" Someone screamed from the doorway and I turned. Bad decision. Dean shot me twice in the chest. I heard rather than felt the shots. I slumped away from Sam and landed on the coffee table, shattering it. My heart was pounding mercifully slow and I could tell one beat or another would be my last.

It was odd really. I spent my entire life trying to be someone else. And I realized that if I would have been just myself, I'd get to live.

0o0o0o0o

Back at Rebecca's a day later, Sam approached her to say her goodbyes. Dean and I stayed back and kept to ourselves, giving them a little time. 

"You have an Ipod?" Dean asked, looking in the back of the trunk in my bag.

"What are you doing in my bag?" I asked taking the bag from him. He had managed to get the Ipod though. 

"My trunk, therefore I can look through whatever I want." Dean said looking trough the playlist.

"There is not one hit of mullet rock on here." Dean complained, handing it to me. 

I smiled. "I know, that's because it's _my_ Ipod." 

He looked perturbed and I just ignored him. I don't think Dean saw any music beyond Black Sabbath and Motor Head.

"What are you listening to now?" He asked me and I touched the screen. 

"The Strokes." 

Dean grinned and I rolled my eyes, knowing what was coming. Sometimes he chose to hear only a certain word in sentences and this time it was the word stroke. What a dork.

"Well…" Dean said smoothing his shirt out. "All you had to do was ask." He said cockily.

I smacked him hard on the chest and he recoiled like I had actually hurt him. "You're a sicko you know that?"

He shrugged and smiled. He knew he was and enjoyed every second of it. "Yeah, whatever." 

Sam approached the car again and we waved to Rebecca as she went back inside.

"So, what about your friend, Zack?" I asked. 

"Cops are blaming' this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy's lair, Zack's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape _was_ tampered with. Yeah, Becca says Zack will be released soon." Sam smiled and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Did you know Andy as an Ipod?" Dean asked Sam as we got into the car.

Sam looked back at me and smiled. "Good for you. Probably doesn't have one hint of loud obnoxious screaming." 

Dean glared at him and popped a tape in. "Just for that I'm blaring Back in Black."

Sam looked at me for help but I just shrugged, letting him suffer and put my earphones in. Dean didn't know it but I had a certain playlist on my Ipod, one I had listed as 'Dean's cassette tapes.' It was all the music he had played when we were on the road. It was my most played playlist, but I never told him that. His ego didn't need to be stoked. It was already five times larger than it should have been.

"Sorry, man." I heard Dean say and turned down my Ipod. I guess he thought I wasn't listening now so he could be a softie to his brother. I was so teasing him for this later. 

"About what?" Sam asked him. 

"I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be….Joe College. And that Andy could have a normal life, settle down with someone." 

I tried not to react to what he was saying, I wasn't supposed to hear it. "No, that's okay. You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in. And Andy's happy. You'd know that if you just asked her." 

Dean shrugged. "Well, that's because you two are freaks." 

I shoved my knees into the back of Dean's seat and he looked back somewhat embarrassed I had listened in to their conversation.

"If were freaks what are you?" I asked.

"Perfection." Dean said like it was obvious. 

"Yeah, right." Sam said rolling his eyes.

"You know, I gotta say—I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it." Dean said now, turning up the radio. I leaned in between the seats. 

"Miss what?" I asked.

He looked between me and Sam and grinned. "How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" 

0o0o0o0o0o

enjoy? yes no? i think next is either hookman or home. what do you think?


	16. Chapter 15: Home Part 1

feedback would be nice, thanks for all the amzing reviews already :D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 15: Home Part 1

"Andy! Rise and shine!" I couldn't decipher whether that was Dean or Sam but whoever it ended up being I was going to hate for the rest of the day for waking me up.

I groaned and shook my head. The clock on the bedside table said 5:45. Damn Sam and his early bird hours. I shoved my head under the pillow and ended up drifting back to sleep for ten minutes. That is, until Dean jumped on my bed and pulled the covers back. He threw a sweatshirt at me as I jerked up from the cool air. I ignored him and slumped back under the pillow because at least there it was warm.

"Come on birthday girl." He said.

I groaned again. Of course it was my birthday. "Why the hell am I getting waked up at 5:45 if it's my birthday?"

I poked my head out from underneath my pillow to see Sam standing next to the other bed packing clothes. "Technically we woke you at six since you fell back asleep."

I reached for the other pillow and jerked it at him and it ended up smacking him in the face. Dean laughed and Sam looked annoyingly ready to drag me from bed.

"Don't give me that look Sammy. It's my birthday, can't be mean to me." I said stretching. I finally got up and headed to the bathroom, grabbing clothes on the way.

I smiled as I shut the door. I heard Sam mutter to not call him Sammy and that he was glad my birthday only came once a year.

0o0o0o0

"Where are we going?" I asked drying my hair with the towel. I looked at the boys. They looked good for six in the morning. Dean had on his favorite pair of dark blue jeans, black t-shirt and blue checkered flannel. Sam had faded jeans and a blue polo. I was wearing light skinny jeans and a black band tee on. I wasn't one for makeup, seeing how it's hard to worry about eye shadow when people are dying from hell spawns or something like that. But today was my birthday so why not fool around with makeup a little? I put a very light brown shadow over my eyes and a little black eyeliner, just enough to accentuate my blue eyes.

Dean looked up at me but didn't say anything. I think he was attracted to the shiny stuff on my eyes. "Earth to Dean?" I tried.

"You look nice." Sam said smiling.

"Took the words from my mouth Sammy." 

I smiled and put the towel down on the bed. "It's just a little makeup guys."

"You hardly where it, it's a nice change." Sam said shoving a shirt into a duffel bag.

"Thanks, so where are we headed?"

Sam and Dean looked at each other and smiled. "Where ever you want to go. Remember what I said? No hunts, no jobs, no numerous death threats…." I smiled sitting on the bed. "Just us."

I looked from Dean to Sam and shrugged. "Um, I don't know. I really have nothing to compare to ya know? Not that last year's birthday wasn't great Dean. I did love that cupcake." 

Dean grinned stupidly and I rolled his eyes. I must have raised his ego .5.

"Yeah being on the road with us doesn't exactly give you normal days." Sam said scratching the back of his neck.

I shrugged and combed my hair with the brush on the nightstand. "I'd rather have paranormal than normal with you guys any day."

"Really?" Dean asked.

It wasn't that hard to believe. If I wasn't 'popping ghosts' as Dean likes to put it, I wouldn't be with the Winchesters at all. Sam would be at school, I'd be somewhere in Kansas with a husband and kids and Dean…well God knows where Dean would end up. Not that I was against a normal life for me or the guys I just…I liked being with them. After all, as I've said before, they're all I have. Everyone in my family disregarded and looked down on the hunters in the family so I hadn't spoken to any of them in years. Not since I started hunting with my dad.

I nodded. "Yeah, my dad wanted me doing this. So yeah, I'd rather be here." 

Sam smiled softly and Dean threw something at me to ruin the moment. 

"Dude." I said picking up the boxers. "First, these better be clean and second, you're not getting them back."

Dean grinned, getting up and getting his own duffel bag to start packing. "I will if they happen to be dirty."

I dropped them on the bed and shook my hands like I had just gotten grime on them. "You're disgusting Dean."

I could hear him laughing as he went into the bathroom to gather toothbrushes and stuff. "Hell yeah!"

0o0o0o

We piled into the Impala around seven. I begged Dean so I could drive the car. He said no until I sent him on a guilt trip about my birthday. He gave me the keys with a grunt and a grumble about stupid birthdays and slid into the passenger seat. I think he trusted Sam more to drive the car then he did me. Kind of disappointed me but whatever, I had the keys now. And I was all smiles about it too. I just had to remember that I couldn't look at the boys when I drove the damn thing. If I looked away from the road for more than three seconds, even if there weren't any cars on the street, Dean would go into this anaphylactic shock and try and grab the wheel.

"So any ideas? Or am I just driving this thing in circles?"

Sam shrugged. "You don't want to go home do you?"

I looked at the rearview mirror at him. "Like Kansas home?"

"The road Andy!" Dean screeched.

"There's _no_ cars Dean, we're fine." I rolled my eyes and looked at the road for a few minutes to assure my words and then glanced back at Sam.

"What made you want to ask that?" I asked him. "To go home?"

He shrugged again and it made me feel like it was the gesture of the day. "I don't know, just figured you'd want to."

He wasn't telling the whole truth which is why I figured he wasn't looking straight at me. He was looking out the window. I looked at my right side window to make sure no cars were coming up the sides and pulled the car over. 

"What are you--?"

I turned in my seat, looking straight at him. "Sam, look at me." 

He did so and I asked one more time. "What made you think to ask that? Seriously, if something's up and we need to take care of it…"

"Andy just let it go." Dean said, he sounded tired all of a sudden. As I looked at him I could tell he wanted to go to Kansas as much as I did. There were too many bad memories there; ones all of us swept under rugs and had no intention of re-living.

"No, she's right Dean." Sam spoke up softly. "I've been having nightmares…about our old house and the people who live there." 

Dean shrugged off what he just said. "Come on. Everyone has nightmares; they don't mean they come true." 

"Look, Dean….I dreamt about Jessica's death for _days_ before it happened."

I looked at the floor of the Impala. That's what Bloody Mary had come after him for and Dean realized it too. He didn't say anything about it but I knew he had figured it out. He was still trying to deny Sam's nightmares so they didn't have to go home. What he didn't understand was, if that these people were in danger he had no choice. It was a job he had to do.

"It's just a coincidence, I'm sure." 

"No, I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything, and I didn't do anything about it because I didn't believe it. And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house, and about some woman inside screaming for help. I mean, that's where it all started, man, this has to mean something, right?" 

Dean looked overwhelmed by the information. "I don't know." 

"What do you mean you don't know, Dean?" Sam asked. He was frustrated and I got that but this was all new information to Dean. And the pill was pretty hard to swallow.

"Sam, just cool it a little." I tried but Sam gave me this venomous look. Like I just insulted Jessica or something.

"This woman might be in danger. I mean, this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica!"

"All right, just slow down, would ya?" Dean asked rubbing a hand over his face. "I mean, first you tell me that you've got this Shining? And then you tell me that I've gotta go back home? Especially when…."

I looked at him sadly. Didn't Sam understand he was throwing dirt on an open wound? One that just kept bleeding? It'd never heal, not at the rate at which their lives took them.

"When I swore to myself that I would never go back there?" Dean's voice was shaking and his eyes were welling up with tears. I reached across the seat and took his hand gently in mine and held it. He looked uncomfortable but I didn't care. Dean was never really good with emotions; he only knew how to use two of them. Anger and sheer happiness. Being sad and upset was something he never liked to show. 

Sam's voice was softer now, like Dean might start breaking things if he got any louder. "Look, Dean, we have to check this out. Just to make sure." 

Dean nodded and took his hand away from mine. It stung a little, but if I was in his situation I don't think I'd wanna be touched either. "Yeah, I know we do. Drive Andy."

0o0o0o0o

We finally made it to the Winchester house and I parked outside. We probably would have made it there faster if Dean would have drove but I was behind the wheel and he didn't look in the right condition to be speeding down highways. 

Sam peeked his head between the seats. "Sorry to ruin your birthday Andy." He said quietly.

I shrugged and Dean looked at us. "Can always go to a bar afterwards, Lord knows we'll all…" I looked outside to the house next to the Winchesters. It had been my old house. "need it." I finished slowly.

Sam nodded and got out of the car to head to the steps. "You going to be okay?" I asked Dean. He hadn't gotten out yet and was just staring at his old house like it grew teeth and start munchin' on people off the street.

"Let me get back to you on that." He replied and got out.

"What about you?" He asked me, seeing as how I hadn't taken my eyes of my own house as we walked to the steps. "You going to be okay?"

I looked to him and nodded. "Not all memories in that house were bad." 

He smiled slightly and playfully punched my arm, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on, let's get up there before the door opens and Sam has the chance to say something stupid." 

The door opened as we approached and Dean tried to weasel us in with a pre-memorized lie. But for some reason Sam jumped right in and told her who we were. He even used our real names. But that wasn't the real shocker, she recognized Dean and Sam.

"Winchester. Yeah, that's so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night."

Dean looked at her surprised. "You did?"

She introduced herself as Jenny and invited us in. The boys were taking slow, wary steps through the threshold and house to the kitchen. It was like they thought a ghost was going to pop up right at them. And I was talking about memories' ghosts, not something you could get rid of with rock salt. 

As we entered the kitchen there was a little toddler jumping in a toy pen asking for juice and a little girl, I guessed around eleven, at the table. 

Jenny went over to her and introduced us. "Sari, this is Sam, Dean and Andy. They used to live here."

"Well they used to live here, I lived next door." 

I don't know why she needed to hear that, it's not like she actually knew any of us. This house made me feel really uncomfortable, it was practically screaming with bad vibes. And when I'm nervous I tended to talk. Not ramble, just talk when nothing needs to be said.

"So, you just moved in?" Dean asked. It was interrogation time. 

She nodded and got the toddler juice. "Yeah, from Wichita." 

"So, how you likin' it so far?" Sam asked. The house had to be something bad if he was having nightmares about it. We just didn't know how bad yet.

"Well, uh, all due respect to your childhood home –- I mean, I'm sure you had lots of happy memories here." Dean smiled weakly and I had the urge to touch him again. Just a small squeeze of his hand or bushing his forearm. Some form of sympathetic comforting but I knew he'd just shake me off. So I stood there. "But this place has its issues."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, it's just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We've got flickering lights almost hourly."

Contrary to popular belief. You have flickering lights, your house ain't old. You've got a spirit.

"Oh, that's too bad. What else?" Where there's flickering lights you've got….

"Um…sink's backed up, there's rats in the basement." She paused when she saw Dean's face. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain."

Dean wasn't offended, just un-nerved. "No. Have you seen the rats or have you just heard scratching?"

"It's just the scratching, actually." She seemed to notice how crazy she was sounding. 

"Mom?" Sari spoke up and Jenny leaned down next to her. "Ask them if it was here when they lived here."

"What, Sari?" Sam asked. 

"The thing in my closet." 

"Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets." She looked to Dean and Sam pointedly. "Right?" 

Really had no choice but to lie. "Right. No, no, of course not."

You really had no idea the type of hell spawns that could live your closet. Believe me, I know. We once had one in Dean's and my motel room closet. The thing didn't live very long, but it did eat one of my nice sweaters. We started leaving our clothes in the duffels from then on.

"I wasn't dreaming. It came into my bedroom –- and it was on fire." Sari said.

All of us looked at each other slightly. That information was _not_ good.

0o0o0o0o

We walked down the pathway and headed to the Impala. "You hear that? A figure on fire."

"And that woman, Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams?" I asked Sam, giving the keys to Dean. He nodded in thanks; I knew driving the car calmed him down a bit.

"Yeah. And you hear what she was talking about? Scratching, flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit." Ok, Sam was right but it seemed he was pushing the envelope on this a little too much. 

"Yeah, well, I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are comin' true." Dean threw back, ignoring the point of the conversation completely.

Sam didn't though, picked it up right where Dean should have. "Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?"

Sam and I got in the car for Dean to yell. "I don't know!"

"Those people are in danger, Dean. We have to get 'em out of that house."

"And we will." I said trying to keep the yelling down to a minimum. I honesty never thought that I'd have a headache this big on my birthday. But I should have known better. This wasn't a normal birthday; hell the world we lived in wasn't normal. Asking for one normal day so I could have my birthday was like begging a lotto ticket to say 10 grand when you scratched it. 

"No, I mean now." Sam pretty much snapped. He was being too impatient with this.

Dean turned around in his seat. "And how you gonna do that, huh? You got a story that she's gonna believe?"

"Then what are we supposed to do?" 

Their faces were so close to each other I thought one was going to break away and send a punch flying. I pried the two apart.

"Guys! Knock it off now. Sam give Dean a break. We don't know what we're dealing with yet okay?"

Sam sat back in his seat and mumbled something about how I always take Dean's side and I ignored it. Another fight brewing between me and Sam was not going to help. Today I wasn't fighting with anyone. 

"We need gas." I muttered as Dean turned on the engine. I ignored an annoyed sigh from Dean about the gas tank and looked out the window. It was his damn car, let him worry about it.

0o0o0o0o

We headed out to the gas station and Sam and I leaned against the hood while Dean filled the tank.

"We just gotta chill out, that's all. You know, if this was any other kind of job, what would we do?" Dean asked picking up the conversation we'd left at Jenny's.

Sam sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "We'd try to figure out what we were dealing' with. We'd dig into the history of the house."

"Yeah, except this time, we already know what happened." I said.

"How much _do_ we really know? I mean, how much do you actually remember?" Sam asked looking to Dean.

"About that night, you mean?" Dean asked, stepping in front of us. "Not much. I remember the fire…the heat." He paused for a moment, stuck in remembering. "And then I carried you out the front door."

"You did?" Sam asked. 

Dean nodded. "Yeah, what, you never knew that?"

Sam shook his head no. Hope Sam understood how hard this was for Dean now. All he could remember when he thought about that house was fire, loss and carrying his little brother to safety. Hell, he'd always be carrying Sam. No matter how old they were or what they got into. He'd always be taking Sam to safety, his father's words to protect him ringing in his ears. 

"Okay. So, if we're gonna figure out what's going' on now…we have to figure out what happened back then. And see if it's the same thing."

"Yeah. We'll talk to your Dad's friends, neighbors, people who were there at the time." I nodded.

Sam paused, like it was taking him a lot of courage to muster up the question. "Does this feel like just another job to you?"

Dean just looked at him and cleared his throat. "I'll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom." 

"You alright Sam?" I asked him as Dean walked away.

"He never told me he carried me." He whispered.

"Probably didn't want to get caught in a sappy moment." I smiled and nudged him. He said nothing and nodded. Kind of like this one. I felt like the two were just going to break down crying at one point, and I wouldn't know what to do.

I cleared my throat. "I'm gonna go check on Dean." 

Sam nodded and got back in the car. I headed over in the direction I saw Dean go and stopped before I turned the corner. Dean wasn't in the bathroom, he was on his phone. I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but he'd do it to me in a heartbeat. He probably wouldn't even think twice before listening it like I was doing.

"But I'm with Sam and Andy. And we're in Lawrence. And there's something in our old house." His voice broke at the end of the sentence and he paused, trying to keep himself together. I couldn't tell who he was on the phone with. I guessed no one since he was generally talking without stopping. I guessed he was leaving a message for someone. " I don't know what to do." He began to cry then and my heart broke for him. "So, whatever you're doing, if you could get here. Please. I need your help, Dad."

I glanced around the corner and Dean was closing his phone, tears coursing down his cheeks. The poor thing. He sounded so lost and upset on the phone. I wanted to go over and hug him as hard as I could and kiss the places on his face where the tears had been. But I knew I couldn't. I shouldn't have been listening. I made it back to the Impala, without him seeing me and slid into the passenger seat. When he composed himself and got back in the car I grabbed his hand from his lap and squeezed it gently. He didn't try and pull away this time, he just let me hold his hand.

It was the first time he'd let me comfort him.

0o0o0o0o

We ended up talking to a guy who used to own a garage with John a long while back. He hadn't told us much, just how he'd noticed his drastic mood change after Mary had died. He did tell us about palm reader though and that's what angle we were looking up now.

"All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There's someone named El Divino. There's, uh there's the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky." I looked at Dean and Sam amused and Sam laughed. "Uh, Missouri Moseley—" I just kept going down the list in the phone book until Dean stopped me.

"Wait, wait. Missouri Moseley? That's a psychic?" Dean asked.

"What?" Sam asked as Dean went into the trunk for dad's journal.

"Here, look at this. First page, first sentence, read that."

I went to stand next to Sam. "I went to Missouri and I learned the truth."

We looked to Dean and he shrugged. "I always thought he meant the state."

We headed to Missouri Mosley's place and took a seat on the couch waiting for her to get done with one of her clients.

"All right, there. Don't you worry 'bout a thing. Your wife is crazy about you." The man thanked her and she closed the door. "Whew. Poor bastard. His woman is cold-banging' the gardener."

I smirked. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"People don't come here for the truth. They come for good news."

Good thing we weren't expecting good news. 

"Well? Sam, Andy and Dean, come on already, I ain't got all day."

We followed her into her living room and stood there for a moment as she turned. "Well, lemme look at ya." She laughed. "Oh, you boys grew up handsome. And you were one goofy-looking' kid, too." She said pointing to Dean. I smirked and she came foreword and ran a hand down my hair. "Oh Andy, didn't you grow up beautiful."

I smiled slightly and she took my hand. "Oh honey…"

"What?" Dean asked.

She glared at them for a moment and then suddenly smacked Sam and Dean up along the side of their heads.

"What the hell?" Dean exclaimed.

"You two, would ya stop fighting and give the girl a break? It's her damn birthday and you're upsetting her." 

I looked down slightly embarrassed. I probably shouldn't have been thinking about today's previous events and how the guys gave me that headache from their fight.

Dean glared at me and I shrugged. "Sorry." I muttered. But I defiantly wasn't. Them getting smacked, at the same time, was the highlight of my day.

Missouri then moved to Sam and picked up his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Sam. I'm sorry about your girlfriend. And your father –- he's missing'?"

"How'd you know all that?" Dean asked.

"Well, you boys were just thinking it just now." Sam raised his eyebrows somewhat surprised. 

"Well, where is he? Is he okay?" Dean rushed her with questions and she shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Don't know?" Dean said doubtfully. He pointed to us like trying to make a point. "Well, you're supposed to be a psychic, right?"

I winced. That was a bit rude. I wouldn't want to piss this lady off, she looked like she'd cap your ass if you made a wrong move.

"Boy, you see me sawin' some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician? I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can't just pull facts out of thin air. Sit, please."

Sam and I looked at each other trying to contain our laughter and sat on the couch, Dean following. 

Dean sat and Missouri snapped at him. "Boy, you put your foot on my coffee table, I'm 'a whack you with a spoon!"

"I didn't do anything." Dean said innocently.

"But you were thinking about it."

Dean looked at us and raised his eyebrows. 

"Okay. So, our dad –- when did you first meet him?" Sam asked.

"He came for a reading. A few days after the fire. I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say…I drew back the curtains for him."

"What about the fire? Do you know about what killed our mom?" Dean sounded like he was six years old again. 

"A little. Your daddy took me to your house. He was hoping I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing."

"And could you?" I asked.

"I….I don't know. Oh, but it was evil."

I shuddered slightly. The whole physic thing was creeping me out. I wonder if that meant she could sense how much I felt for Dean. I wondered of she could tell me what he thought about me. She probably knew I was thinking this all right now and was about to snap at me for not paying attention. So I tuned back in and listened. 

"So…you think somethin' is back in that house?" Missouri asked us.

Dean and I both looked at Sam. "Definitely." 

"I don't understand." She said slowly. "I haven't been back inside, but I've been keeping an eye on the place, and it's been quiet. No sudden deaths, no freak accidents. Why is it acting up now?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. But Dad going missing and Jessica dying and now this house all happening at once –- it just feels like something's starting." 

Dean nodded and looked at Missouri. "That's a comforting thought."

There was nothing comforting about it. I felt like we were in over our heads. I wished more than anything that my dad was there.

0o0o0o0o0o

enjoy? yes no? :D


	17. Chapter 16: Home Part 2

sorry this took me a few days. please enjoy! :D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 16: Home Part 2

"Sam, Dean. What are you doing here?" Jenny asked holding the toddler in her arms. She looked frazzled and I wondered if something had happened.

Sam seemed to notice too, but did say anything about it. "Hey, Jenny. This is our friend, Missouri."

"If it's not too much trouble, we were hoping to show her the old house. You know, for old time's sake." Dean said motioning to the house.

"You know, this isn't a good time. I'm kind of busy." She was definitely shaken and she tried to close the door on us. But of course, Dean being his belligerent self, stepped in and tried to get her attention. Good thing for Missouri, she smacked the back of his head. I snickered as Missouri told Jenny politely that it was important. Dean was brought up properly with manners and all, he just forgot to use them sometimes.

"Forgive this boy, he means well, he's just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out."

"About what?" she asked. Something told me she already knew.

"About this house."

"Who are you?" Jenny asked, looking at all of us.

"We're people who can help, who can stop this thing. But you're gonna have to trust us, just a little."

Jenny looked unsure but she invited us in nonetheless. We headed up to Sari's room and started to take a look around.

"If there's a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it." Missouri said. She was staying close to the walls like she could feel the vibes from them.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"This used to be your nursery, Sam. This is where it all happened." Sam glanced at the ceiling looking pained and I squeezed his hand briefly. Dean pulled out his EMF and turned it on.

"That an EMF?" Missouri asked and Dean nodded.

"Amateur." Missouri chided. Dean glared and looked like he was about to throw that EMF meter at Missouri. But as I said before, Dean knew when not to say anything…or when not to chuck things at people. The thing started beeping frantically and he nudged me to look at it.

"I don't know if you boys should be disappointed or relieved, but this isn't the thing that took your mom." Missouri said still looking around.

"Wait, are you sure?" Sam asked. "How do you know?"

"It isn't the same energy I felt the last time I was here. It's something different."

"Well that can't be good." I said quietly.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

I went to the window as Missouri went to the closet. I had so many happy memories of this place; of my house next door. It was hard to believe that the horrible memories out weighed the good. I remembered a time where my dad wasn't a hunter yet, when John wasn't either. I remember getting together with the Winchesters for barbeques and birthday parties. Stuff normal families do. I remembered playing hide and seek with Dean. My favorite spot was right behind that tree in their front lawn and he'd always find me.

"This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It's attracted a poltergeist. A nasty one. And it won't rest until Jenny and her babies are dead."

I looked back at Missouri and leaned against the window.

"You said there was more than one spirit." Sam said.

Whoops, looks like I missed the point of the conversation again.

She nodded. "There is. I just can't quite make out the second one."

"Well, one thing's for damn sure –- nobody's dying' in this house ever again. So whatever _is _here, how do we stop it?" Dean promised.

0o0o0o0o0

We figured out a plan to expel the spirit from the house. Hex bags needed to be placed in the walls of the house on each floor. We made the bags and headed out to Jenny's.

"Look, I'm not sure I'm comfortable leaving you guys here alone." Jenny said taking the toddler and Sari outside.

I almost laughed. What did she think? That this whole poltergeist thing was just a heist and we fooled her into giving up the house?

Missouri took her down to her car and I turned towards the boys.

"You guys ready?" I asked, grabbing on of the bags.

Dean nodded and pointed to me. "You're going with Sam."

"I can do this by myself Dean."

Dean shrugged. "Either Sam or me, you're going with one of us. You're not going by yourself."

I shook my head at him angrily. I could do this by myself. It was just putting a bag in a wall. One stupid little bag in a _freakin' _wall. They trusted me didn't they? They knew I could do this? "You can't keep me safe the entire time dad! You have to trust me, I have to learn."

My breath caught in my throat. It took me a half a second to realize the slip of tongue I had just made. I shook my head. "I mean…Dean. Dean…" I murmured. It was the same thing I had told my dad; fact it was the last thing I ever said to him and both of the guys knew it too. Everything else was hushed prayers and promises at his grave. I hadn't meant to say that to Dean. It felt too much like a death sentence.

Sam looked at me sadly and Dean grabbed my arm gently and kissed my forehead. I rubbed my hand through my hair as he pulled back. "Take the living room okay?"

I nodded and he turned to go into the kitchen while Sam headed upstairs. "Be careful."

I'd have to be or Dean would never forgive himself for letting me go off by myself. I couldn't believe I had called him dad. I mean I recognized he'd just been trying to keep me safe, like my father. But I never saw Dean as a father figure. I was just so damn tired of being protected when I didn't need to be. Missouri came back through the front door and looked at me for a second then headed to the basement. I went to the living room and started hammering into a wall. Here went nothing.

0o0o0o0o

When we all first started, there was nothing. It was completely silent. All I could hear was my heart beating in my ears and my steady pace of hitting the hammer into the wall. But then I could hear noises from everywhere. The kitchen was right near the living room and I heard something banging into another. Then beneath me I heard things ramming into others and thumping from above me. I sure hoped everyone was okay. I pounded on the wall harder and finally got a hole made. But before I could throw the bag in, I heard something shuffling behind me. I turned slowly. All the furniture was moving…towards me. The coffee table was first. It moved so fast I barely had time to duck. It smashed into the space above my head and I was showered with wood and glass. I covered my head and before I knew it, the coat rack and cushioned chair was flying at me too. I ducked them both and managed not to get knocked on the head but I dropped the bag and had to look for it. I searched the floor looking for that stupid little purple bag. I heard Dean yell Sam's name and knew I had to hurry. I found it near the broken glass and just as I bent down to get it the couch moved and shoved my arm against the wall. I screamed as the glass went into my hand and forearm. I finally pried it free and threw the hex bag into the wall. The whole room made a swooshing sound and suddenly everything was quiet again.

"Andy!" Dean yelled, pounding back down the stairs.

"I'm fine Dean!" I yelled back. He was running down the stairs so quick I thought he was going to trip and break his damn neck. Guy needed to calm down a bit. "Is Sam okay?" I asked as he approached me.

I was holding my arm against my t-shirt to try and stop the blood flow a bit. It wasn't bleeding too badly but it was bad enough that Dean would have a fit.

He nodded. "Yeah, he's fine. Got a little too friendly with a lamp and its cord. You're arm okay?"

I nodded. "Got a little too friendly with broken glass."

"Let me see."

I placed my forearm in his hands and my skin tingled when he touched me. I made myself think that the tingling was from the pain and blood loss in my forearm and not Dean himself.

"It's not so bad, you won't need stitches."

I looked at him somewhat surprised. "No yelling? No 'Andy you shouldn't have been here by yourself?'"

He smiled slightly. "Gotta let you learn right?"

I nodded and smiled in thanks. "Right."

"You sure this is over?" I saw Sam come down the stairs and his question was for Missouri who was closing the basement door.

"I'm sure. Why? Why do you ask?" Missouri asked.

Sam shook his head. "Never mind. It's nothing, I guess." He sighed.

"Hello? We're home." Jenny said coming through the front door. "What happened?"

"Hi, sorry. Um, we'll pay for all of this." Sam said seeing her face and Dean gave him a look that basically said, 'what the fuck?'

"Don't you worry. Dean's gonna clean up this mess." Missouri said and I smirked.

Dean just looked at her. She turned and stared right back. "Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Get the mop."

Dean sighed and turned, muttering under his breath.

"And don't cuss at me!"

Dean just threw her a dismissive hand and went to grab what she told him to. As I said, Dean's stubborn as hell but he knows when to shut up and get a mop.

0o0o0o0o

"All right, so, tell me again, what are we still doing here?" Dean asked sitting in the back with me. He was bandaging my forearm, trying to be gentle. But every time he looked to Sam to talk he ended up bumping his hands against my cuts.

"Ow, Dean. You're butchering me here."

He just looked at me. "You're welcome." He said dryly.

Sam shrugged, not taking his eyes off Jenny's house. "I don't know. I just…I still have a bad feeling."

"Why? Missouri did her whole Zelda Rubenstein thing, the house should be clean, it should be over." He said frustrated. I knew he just wanted to crawl in bed and forget this day ever happened. But he wasn't getting off so easily. It was still my birthday and I was dragging them to bar after this whether they liked it or not.

"Yeah, well, probably. But I just wanna make sure, that's all."

Dean finished the bandages and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Yeah, well, problem is I could be sleeping in a bed right now."

"Dean. Look, Dean!" Sam said and hurried from the car. Dean grabbed his riffle and got out, slamming the door in my face. Guess that was the nicest way he could tell me to stay here. Screw that. I got out of the car, grabbing a weapon from the trunk. I loaded it with rock salt and went in right after Dean.

"You grab the kids, I'll get Jenny." Dean was yelling to Sam. I followed Sam up the stairs. As I made it to Sari's bedroom the flamed figure was standing in the doorway of her closet. Sam handed me the toddler and he grabbed Sari.

We rushed down the stairs. I caught Dean pulling Jenny outside and heard him say Andy and Sam have your kids. We put them on the floor and told them to hold each others hands and go outside. They did so and as soon as they were out the door it slammed shut and Sam and I were thrown backwards.

0o0o0o0o

"Sam? Andy!" I heard Dean but it sounded like he was underwater. As soon as the door was slammed shut it felt like a mini hurricane was filling the house, whipping Sam and I into everything. I must have gotten slammed into millions of things. I remembered hitting the cabinets above the sink in the kitchen and everything went black for a little. Then I heard Dean. He went to help me up but then saw Sam being slammed against a cabinet. He couldn't move and I gave the Dean the go-ahead to go help Sam.

The figure of fire was moving towards Sam and Dean raised his weapon at the ready. But suddenly Sam cried out for Dean not to shoot it. Dean, needless to say, looked at him like he was crazy.

"Because I know who it is. I can see her now." Sam whispered.

I sat up slowly, ignoring the throbbing in my midsection, and watched as the fire disappeared from the figure and Mary Winchester stood among her boys.

"Mom?" Dean asked softly. Mary smiled at him and said his name which brought tears to his eyes. Tears were forming in mine as well. Not from Mary herself but from seeing tears in Dean's eyes and how happy he was to see her.

"Sam." Mary said and Sam smiled weakly, crying. Her smile faded though and she looked at him seriously. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sam asked.

She didn't answer him and turned around looking at the ceiling. "You get out of my house. And let go of my son." She burst into flames and the fire reached the ceiling and disappeared. The force holding Sam to the cabinet let go of him and I pushed myself up the wall to a stand.

Dean never took his eyes off the ceiling and Sam looked at us. "Now it's over." He said quietly.

0o0o0o0o0

We pretty much slept in the car that night. I think driving to a motel was too much for Dean and being close to one another didn't really bother anyone at the moment. So Dean crawled in the back next to me and crashed along the side door. I had that idea in my head that he wanted to be back there to be next to me but I think he just wanted the blanket I found in the trunk. When I woke up the next morning he was completely sprawled out in the back of the car. It was a mess really. I prayed for every chick he slept with that they had to wake up to _that_ in the morning.

We met Missouri about an hour later at Jenny's house. Jenny was kind enough to make us breakfast. When we set up to leave Jenny walked up to Dean and handed him the pictures of his family that she'd found in the basement and Sam and I talked a little more to Missouri.

"Well, there are no spirits in there anymore, this time for sure." Missouri said sitting down on the steps. Sam sat on the step bellow her and I stood.

"Not even my mom?" Sam asked hopefully. Missouri shook her head quietly and Sam looked at the ground. "What happened?"

"Your mom's spirit and the poltergeist's energy, they cancelled each other out. Your mom destroyed herself goin' after the thing."

"Why would she do something like that?"

"Well, to protect her boys, of course."

Sam nodded with tears in his eyes again and I put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed him tightly.

"Sam, I'm sorry." Missouri said after a moment.

"For what?" Sam asked.

"You sensed it was here, didn't you? Even when I couldn't."

He looked like he had a bit of fear in his eyes now. "What's happening to me?"

She shook her head. "I know I should have all the answers, but I don't know."

"Sam, Andy you ready?" We nodded and got up to leave but Missouri pulled my arm turning me back around. Sam went ahead to the car and got in with Dean and I motioned them to wait a minute.

"You should tell them ya know, about your mother."

I looked at her seriously. The only thing I hated about psychics was they ignored the intruding of your thoughts. No one knew about my mother and what actually happened to her but me and that's how I wanted it to stay for now.

"All they'd do is worry." I said quietly.

"They'd tell you." Missouri said and I just shook my head.

"Andy, I'm driving without you!" Dean called out and I whipped my head around annoyed.

"Alright!" I called out. I looked to Missouri one more time before I turned and got in the car. She looked at me knowingly as we drove away sending chills down my spine.

"What'd she want?" Dean asked.

"Wanted to wish me a happy birthday, that's all."

Dean nodded and I could see him glance at Sam like I knew something more. This time he was right but I definitely wasn't in the sharing caring kind of mood.

"So we heading to a bar or what?" I asked looking at Dean through the rearview mirror. "I think everyone would agree that some drinks are in order."

"Yeah, no kidding." Sam added.

Dean smiled. "Yeah, plus we need some place to haul the cake out of the trunk and the damn gifts too."

His smiled widened as I poked my head between the seats. "I've got cake…and presents?"

Sam just laughed.

0o0o0o0o

We headed to a bar about a half an hour away from Jenny's. They made me go in first and get a table. I think they forgot to wrap the presents and were trying to half ass it by wrapping it in newspaper. Hey whatever works, I just wanted my presents. I smiled sliding into a booth in the back and waited for them. They walked in ten minutes later and I flagged them down. Dean slid in next to me with the cake and gifts stacked on top and Sam went to the bar to grab beers. I tried to look over Dean's lap at the presents as he set them on the floor.

"Whoa, whoa." Dean said laughing and pushed me back in my seat. "Don't think so, anything you see early you don't get."

Sam came back and sat across from us handing us the beers. I took a deep drink and looked at Dean. "Presents now?"

Dean smiled slowly and shook his head. "Don't you want the cake?"

I felt like a four year old who got their favorite princess on their cake. But I could care less, it was just Sam and Dean and I never knew when I'd feel this happy and relaxed again. So he put the cake on the table and Sam and Dean sung horribly to happy birthday and I blew out the candles. Thank God the bar wasn't packed and Sam and Dean never went caroling. I was twenty four now. Twenty four was a good age to live to, especially if you were in the hunting business. I didn't know many female hunters that lived past twenty.

We ate a few pieces each, Dean ate less because it was chocolate, and then it was present time.

"Here, this is from me." Sam said handing a medium size box to me. It was covered with the comic part of the newspaper and I smiled. My favorite part of the newspaper. The thing I hated about newspapers was that it basically had three parts: comics, sports and depressing news you didn't need to hear. I had enough horrible news passed down through other hunters and from just living life. I didn't need to read about the pain and suffering others were going through; especially when there's nothing you can do about it.

I tore through the newspaper and opened the box and grinned. "Oh my God Sam, this is amazing. Where did you even find this thing?"

I pulled out a long dagger from the box. The blade was wavy and pointed at the end and the top of it was sliver and had a small ruby on the front of it. Or at least, it looked like a ruby. I tried to keep it low from the people passing our booth but I couldn't resist swishing it through the air.

"You wouldn't believe how long it took me to get it." Sam said. "I had to call Bobby who had to call another hunter whose cousins' friend studied ancient weapons. Its just a whole laundry list of people I had to go through."

I couldn't get up and hug him but I did reach across the table and squeeze his hand tightly. "Thank you Sam."

He nodded and smiled. "I can't wait to kill something with it." I said somewhat dramatically and placed it back in the box. But I was seriously excited to do some good with it. It'd be good for killing off vampires and I'm pretty sure the blade was pure sliver too, so it'd hurt werewolves as well.

"Well that's great…you're stable." Dean muttered and I smiled again. "Okay, well here's mine."

He handed me two small square gifts, again wrapped with newspaper. I grabbed them and unwrapped and got…CDs. I was surprised, but maybe a little disappointed. Was disappointed the right word? Its kind of rude to be disappointed in a gift someone gives you but for some reason I was expecting something more from Dean.

"Made them myself." Dean said proudly.

"Mix tapes?" I asked.

He nodded and I laughed at that. "How'd you even figure out how to use iTunes?"

"Hey." He said offended. "I can learn things like that alright?"

"Sam showed you huh?" I said looking to Sam and he nodded vigorously. I laughed and turned to Dean giving him a hug. "They're great, I'm sure I'll love them."

After more cake and too many drinks later I was starting to feel woozy. I was pretty sure I was drunk but Dean kept getting drinks, because those stupid guys can hold their liquor, and I kept drinking. Why not? It was my damn birthday. Sam stopped drinking after his second beer and just watched me and Dean do shots. He won out eventually, which was good since I couldn't feel my legs.

"What is that and how many have you had?" Sam asked pointing to the shot glasses around the table. There was probably a total of six between me and Dean but when I looked at them there appeared to be seventy.

"I don't know, I think they're called blue orangutans."

"The drinks orange." Sam stated and Dean started laughing.

"Whatever." I was aware my voice was starting to slur on the ends of my words. "You can't judge and orangutan by its color." I said making Sam smile slowly.

"Okay." Dean stated and stood. "I think someone's had enough." He pulled me gently from the booth and hoisted me over his shoulder. He skipped the step where I tried to use my legs and feet to walk and fail miserably. I passed out against his shoulder before we even made it back to the Impala.

0o0o0o0o

I woke with a start around four A.M. My stomach was churning in a way that wasn't pleasant and my knees started to shake as I got up and headed to the bathroom as quickly as I could. I barely got there and kneeled down in front of the toilet before the orangutans erupted from my stomach and into the bowl. I groaned as another heave made me empty the last contents of my stomach and I swayed slightly, making me hit my head against the tub. I heard someone walk in and close the bathroom door behind them. I had just realized that I hadn't turned on the lights when I made it in here. I was lucky I got the contents in the bowl. That would have been _so_ embarrassing. I leaned my back against the tub and it felt like ice from all the sweat. I was so worried about how gross I must of looked that I didn't even see Dean kneel down in front of me.

"You alright?" He asked me.

I shook my head no. I still felt like vomiting and I had a splitting headache. "Suddenly I'm very sober. I think it has something to do with hitting my head off the tub."

Dean winced and sat next to me. "Yeah, that'll do it."

Had he been awake all this time? "Did I wake you?"

He shook his head. "No I was awake."

"Everything okay?"

He turned his head to look at me and he nodded. "You want some ginger ale or something?"

I nodded and he got up and headed into the kitchenette. He had left the door open and I could see Sam was still asleep in his bed. Dean came back in with the soda and shut the door quietly. He took his seat back next to me and handed me the can.

"So, do you usually sit in a dark room around four A.M?" I asked popping the can open. I waited for the fizz to die down before I took a small sip.

Maybe he had been asleep and he didn't want me to feel bad about waking him. He was in his pajamas after all. I liked the ones he had on. Nice sky blue flannel bottoms and a white t-shirt on top. He made simple look good.

Dean shook his head once again and ran a hand through his hair. "No, I uh…was up wrapping this."

He pulled a small box from his pajama pockets and handed it to me. "It's for me?" I asked.

He nodded and smiled sheepishly. "I wanted to give it to you at the bar but um…I don't know it was just…"

He never stuttered. Dean Winchester was too cocky to stutter. He had planned out pick up lines and everything, I'd heard him give the same lines to girls all the time. He basically knew what to say before he said it. But he hadn't rehearsed any of this at all.

I took it from him and he stopped talking then. He probably realized he wasn't making any sense, but I knew what he was trying to say. I unwrapped the small box and popped it open.

"Oh wow." I said admiringly. It was a silver coin, or at least it looked like a coin and when I pulled it out of the box it was attached to a chain. I was supposed to wear it. I ran my fingers along the symbols and I smiled at it's beauty. "It's beautiful Dean."

"It's a Tibetan coin. It was crafted along the 1800s. It's a protection amulet. I want you to wear it, so I know you'll always be safe." He said softly and I nodded.

He touched my heart with this one. It was so unlike him to do this and it stirred those emotions deep inside me. He motioned for me to turn around and I did so, handing him the coin over my shoulder. He led the chain around my neck and clasped it, letting his hands rest on my back and shoulders for a little longer than necessary. When I turned, I did what I should have done a long time ago. I took his cheek and brought his face closer to mine and left a long kiss along his jaw line. My breath probably wasn't the greatest at the moment and I didn't want to spoil the moment with kissing him on the lips. But I was going to soon. This kiss on his cheek was meaningful and I hoped he knew it. I hadn't meant anything up until that point and I put in the effort of letting him know with that kiss.

He smiled as I pulled away and helped me up off the floor. "You think you're ready to head to bed?"

"We'll see. Those orangutans did _not_ agree with me."

Dean smiled and pulled me close to him before he turned the bathroom light out. He gave me a soft kiss on the lips and turned to head back to his chair. It took me a moment before I realized I was basically standing there with my mouth open and I shut off the light and crawled into bed. I feel asleep clutching the coin in my hand.

0o0o0o0o0o

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	18. Chapter 17: Scarecrow Part 1

sorry this took a while, i've been so busy the past couple days. DDDDD: enjoy!

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Chapter 17: Scarecrow Part 1

I started to wake up around ten. Sam wasn't in the other bed and I didn't see Dean anywhere either. I heard the shower running so I guessed one of them was in the bathroom. I shook my head and turned over on my stomach, rubbing my face in the pillow. I heard the coin shift on the chain as I moved and I smiled, remembering the previous night. The orangutan part wasn't pleasant but what happened afterwards was definitely worth it. I sat up and re-adjusted the chain. What kind of coin had Dean called it? Tibetan? I wondered where the hell he could have gotten it from. You could probably find it at any kind of culture shop but I kinda hoped he searched for it. It made it feel like it was more special.

"Morning."

I turned to see Dean coming out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel over his hair. He was wearing a new pair of boxers and another black t-shirt. The guy did look nice in dark colors.

"Morning." I answered groggily. The headache from the previous night was starting to settle around my temples. "Do we have any Advil?"

"No, that's why Sam's out. Knew you'd be waking up with a pretty nasty hangover. He went to get Advil and food."

I smiled slightly, rubbing my temples. "Aw, you made Sam get up and go out just for me?" I joked.

"Please." Dean blew a breath out between his lips. "I gotta eat too ya know."

He hung the towel over one of the kitchenette chairs and sat down next to me. "Ya know, we have some time before he gets back. He left about ten minutes before you got up." Dean told me, rubbing my one shoulder slowly.

I couldn't tell if he was trying to be suggestive or not. The thing with Dean was, his level of horniness was always on overdrive. But that wasn't the thing that bothered me. I just didn't want to become one of those girls Dean met in bars and forgot their names the next morning.

"Look Dean, I really appreciate last night and everything but I need to go slow."

He nodded. "I figured." He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. "And it doesn't bother me."

I smiled and kissed him softly. Luckily kissing was in the category of slow. Let me tell you if anyone knew how to kiss amazingly well, it was Dean. I hated knowing that a lot of practice probably made that true but at the moment it wasn't high on the list of things that bothered me. His lips started to move faster and I felt his one hand hold the back of my head while his other arm circled my waist. I ran my hands through his damp hair and he pushed me to lie back on the bed. I felt a bit guilty for some reason that Sam didn't know about this. Granted, neither of us knew what we were when we woke up. Maybe I just hated the fact of sneaking around. I shook my head out of habit to clear the thought and Dean pulled back. I shouldn't have been thinking about Sam while kissing Dean.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

I shook my head no. "Sorry, I was too deep in thought."

Dean smiled slightly. His godly ego naturally thought it was about him. He kissed me one more time before he got up and went across the room to get dressed.

"I heard one of the cells ring last night, I figured one of you would get it."

"Yeah." Dean said pulling on a light colored pair of jeans. He slipped on a long sleeved brown button up and rolled the sleeves to his elbows. I laid there watching him get dressed, waiting for him to add something more. But he didn't.

"Who was it?"

"Don't worry about it." He replied looking at me quickly.

That three second look was telling me to let it go so I nodded and got up out of bed. Whatever. If Dean couldn't tell me about one simple phone call this wouldn't work. I kept thinking that it was some girl and that's why he couldn't tell me. I rolled my eyes; way to go conclusion jumping. I was barely his girlfriend and I already was the jealous worried type.

"Andy." Dean called. He was lucky, if I would have closed the bathroom door I wouldn't have answered him.

"Yeah?" I leaned against the doorframe as Dean walked towards me.

"It was…it was my dad."

"Oh my God…is he alright? What did he want?" I tried not to ask a bunch of questions at once.

"Yeah, he's fine. He wants us to work a job." Dean's voice was firm; no emotion whatsoever. I understood why he was upset and angry. He'd been worried about his dad for how many months now and he finally called and didn't mention anything but a job. It was frustrating and unfair.

"I can't tell Sammy how much it bothers me ya know? One of us has to have the job face."

I knew Dean was just trying to be the obedient child, but if he was upset Sam had to be ten times angrier.

"Sorry, that's not fair Dean."

He shrugged and said nothing else about it. This job wasn't about being fair. I gave him a long kiss on his cheek and he smiled as I pulled away. It was small but grateful.

"I'm gonna get a shower."

Dean nodded and a hand over his face. "I'll research this job and tell you about it when you get out."

"Alright…and Dean. Try not to fight with Sam alright? He has his own reasons to be angry."

Dean rolled his eyes but nodded. I went into the bathroom and closed the door. I turned on the water and wondered how long they could go without trying to overstep the others' boundaries. I heard some yelling from the other room and I shook my head incredulously. Apparently not long.

0o0o0o0o

I turned the water off and opened the door. Dean had his back to me while Sam was standing just in front of the motel door. He hadn't even shut the door yet.

"Dean what did I just ask you?" I asked tiredly.

"Go take your shower Andy." Dean snapped. It amazed me how angry he could get in a short amount of time.

"No." I answered forcefully. He wasn't telling me what to do. I hated that; it was like I was a child or something. I was three years younger for Christ's sake. "I can say something if I want to." I walked up next to Dean and crossed my arms over my chest. I was looking at Sam but I could feel Dean's eyes on me. He was trying to tell me to back off but I wasn't leaving. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Dean said.

I just looked at him. "I'm not deaf Dean."

"_Nothing_ okay?"

"Dad's in California, he called Dean's cell with the area code. I wanna go find him. He's closing in on the demon."

I locked eyes with Sam. "Yellow eyes? The one that killed your mom and Jess?"

Sam nodded grimly and Dean looked at the floor. "Dad's giving us a job to do okay? And we're going to do it. We have to, it's our responsibility."

Sam rolled his eyes and scoffed. "To who? People we've never even met? To people who don't even thank us for saving their lives?"

"That's not why we do this job Sam and you know it. We do it to help people, regardless if they thank us or not." I hated putting myself on one side or the other. I wasn't trying to pick because honestly I didn't know who was right. I wanted to say that neither of them was really right but I was pretty sure that would have just made them angrier.

"Look Andy, I know you've been on the road with us but you have no idea what its like alright? You have no idea what we're going through."

I understood more than they knew. "I'm trying."

"You just don't alright? Did your mother die in the ceiling in your nursery?" He was screaming in my face now and I could see Dean shift on his feet. "Did the damn thing kill your girlfriend for no reason?"

Dean moved now, pushing Sam away from my face. "Cool off alright? Andy didn't do anything, don't take it out on her."

Dean pushed Sam back one final time before walking to the other side of the room.

"You didn't find anything yet did you?" I asked.

Dean sat down in one of the chairs around the table. "No not yet. Didn't have time to."

I ran a hand through my hair and I realized that I hadn't taken a shower yet. "Can I leave you two alone for ten minutes without killing each other?"

Dean nodded but didn't look at me and Sam just shrugged. I sighed and walked over to the bathroom, squeezing Dean's shoulder empathetically on the way. Even though Dean and I never said anything about it, I knew we were putting off telling Sam. But something told me this was definitely not a good time to say anything.

0o0o0o0o

At least when I got out of the shower there hadn't been any fighting. Or at least I didn't hear anything. For all I knew the testosterone was spilling outside in the parking lot. I rolled my eyes, slipping on a light green tank top. If they got into a fist fight I wasn't cleaning either of them up. Let them sit in pain for a few hours, at least they'd feel stupid for doing it. I pulled a pair of dark jeans on and finally a long sleeved gray sweater. I wished we could have a job that was somewhere warm for once. I was so tired of wearing jeans and sweaters. Plus I always got a cold easier when it was freezing out.

"Not drying your hair?" Dean asked when I emerged from the bathroom.

I shrugged. "I dried it with a towel. Plus it's got cute waves from being wet."

Dean glanced at Sam for a moment, who was packing his bags, and kissed me quickly on the lips. "Yes, it does."

I smiled, grabbed my heavier jacket and picked up my bags. "I'll go put these in the trunk."

Dean and Sam followed me out some time later and popped the trunk. The smart thing would have been to actually _grab_ the keys before going outside. "Geez." I said getting in the car. "I didn't think it was going to be this cold out."

Damn. I knew I was going to get sick. I came outside with wet head and waited for the guys to open the trunk. Then I had to sit in the freakin' car shivering to death while it heated up. I hated complaining about the Impala, I loved the car as much as Dean did, but it was old. It took it a while for it to do a lot of things.

Dean got in the back with me and handed Sam the keys to drive. If that was obvious enough, Sam needed to be smacked on the head. Something was definitely up if Dean gave the keys to Sam when he was pissed at him. Or gave him the keys at any time for that matter. Dean scooted in next to me and I was grateful for his warm body next to mine. He held my hand tightly but discreetly and looked out the window.

"You any warmer?" he asked a half an hour later. No one had really said anything when we left the motel. Anything would spark a fight and no one wanted that now, which was alright with me. I could feel the heat starting to move back towards me but I was still shivering a bit.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Sam turned up the heat regardless and looked back at me and Dean like we were up to something.

I'm guessing he brushed it off because he asked something completely different. "Where are we heading?"

"Burkitsville, Indiana." Dean answered. "Dad gave us the names of three couples. Different towns, different states, each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again."

"Well, it's a big country, Dean. They could've disappeared anywhere." Sam said taking out a map and handing it to me.

Dean sighed tiredly. "Yeah, could've. But each one's route took them to the same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another after another."

"So, Dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded. "Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master." He leaned over me to look at the map and Sam sighed annoyingly and pulled the car over.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked looking up.

"We're not going to Indiana." Sam said turning off the engine and slumping back in the seat.

I sighed and looked to Dean. Here we go again.

"We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code."

"Sam." Dean said angrily. His tone was trying to warn him but Sam was ignoring it.

"Dean, this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."

"Dad doesn't want our help. You heard what he asked us."

"I don't care." Sam said firmly. I was surprised at his tone and as I looked at Dean, so was he. "We don't always have to do what he says."

"Didn't Andy just say something about this? Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important."

"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge." Sam said darkly. I understood wanting revenge, but not at the risk of others lives.

"Sam, you don't even know anything about this thing. What it is, how to kill it, nothing. You're walking in there blind, you're gonna get you and your dad killed." I said worriedly.

Sam ignored me and Dean nodded, agreeing. "She's right and look, I know how you feel."

"Do you?" Sam challenged. Dean looked taken back. "How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?" He sounded like he was going to break something and I prayed to God he didn't take his anger out on the Impala, I wouldn't be able to stop Dean's actions then.

"Dad said it wasn't safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says to stay away, we stay away." Dean said calmly.

"I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man. I mean, it's like you don't even question him."

"Yeah, it's called being a good son!" Dean yelled. That was the last straw for Sam, he got out of the car and slammed the door. Dean sighed and followed him out. I opened the door and watched as Sam unloaded his things from the trunk. No, this wasn't good. Sam couldn't leave us. I mean, we fought all the time and no one ever left. He couldn't leave.

"You're a selfish bastard." Dean spat.

"Dean!" How could he let Sam walk away like this? Wasn't he worried and scared to death something could happen to him?

"That's what you really think?" Sam asked and Dean nodded in conferment.

"Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California." He shut the trunk and hoisted the backpack on his back.

"Come on, Dean's right. We can find your dad after this job is done." I was just trying to keep the peace. I didn't want Sam to leave.

"Of course siding with him." Sam said turning around to face me. "Is that what you do now? Base your decisions on who you're sleeping with?"

I glanced at Dean and back at Sam. So he had noticed the change in scenery. But the thing was I think he knew we hadn't really done anything yet but he was implying this was how it was going to end up. That I was going to end up like all the other lap dogs Dean acquired when he slept with people.

"We haven't…" I tried. I didn't know why I was trying to prove anything. Sam knew we hadn't done anything. He was just using that because it was the only card he had to play.

"You're just like him you know that?" Sam asked interrupting me. "So passionate for the job you can't love anything else."

Was he serious? I felt like I had just received a blow to chest, that comment had knocked the air right out of me. "I did love someone! And he died Sam!"

He regretted that, I could see it on his face but I wasn't stopping. "And as for siding with Dean, he's all I have Sam. You left for college, you had a normal life. So don't you dare come to me and say to not be passionate about the only thing I have!" I screamed getting in the passenger seat of the car, slamming the door.

I looked out the window as Dean got in the car and started it. We drove away from Sam and I shook my head and looked away. Sam had never made me feel like that before; so low and upset. Dean kept looking over at me as he was driving but I refused to look at him.

"You keep staring at me Dean, you're going to wreck the car." I said quietly.

Dean nodded and looked at the road. "You know that's not true right?"

"What?"

"That all you have is the job." He looked at me briefly. "It's not true. You have one thing always."

"My coin?" I asked sarcastically, twisting the chain in my hands.

"Me." Dean said simply and I nodded. He was right. I did have him. I rested my head against his shoulder and let out a sigh.

"You alright?"

I shrugged. "He knows exactly what buttons to press ya know?"

Dean smiled. "Yeah, he's got a degree in knowing how to piss people off."

I shook my head and sniffled. "I thought I was going to hit him Dean. I was seriously just ready to clip him."

He shrugged his shoulders making me lift my head and he kissed me gently on my nose and then my lips. "Remind me not to piss you off."

I smiled as he looked back at the road and I laid my head back down on his shoulder. "You going to call him when we get to Burkitsville?"

Dean shrugged. "Not only did he piss me off, he pissed you off. I don't know, it's up to you. If you want me to call him I will, but other than that…" He trailed off and shrugged his shoulders again.

I nodded. I knew he wasn't going to no matter what I said. If Dean had anything it was his stubbornness and nothing could change that.

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	19. Chapter 18: Scarecrow Part 2

this is bascially Dean/Andy, but Sam will be back in the next chapter.

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Chapter 18: Scarecrow Part 2

It wasn't that long of a drive to Burkitsville but I had fallen asleep the minute I hit Dean's shoulder again. When I woke up I was leaning against the window and Dean's leather jacket was covering me. I glanced over and saw Dean fumbling with his phone. I thought he was going to call Sam but he shook his head, turned his phone off and placed it back in his pocket.

"Welcome to Burkitsville, Indiana." Dean said as I sat up.

I looked out the window. "Looks alright." There were nice houses with picket fences, people sitting out on their porches drinking coffee, children playing in lawns…maybe it was too nice.

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, it looks great until you find out they're sacrificing chickens and praying to Hashanah in their basements."

I rolled my eyes. "That was only once Dean. Can I wear this outside?"

"I had the window open, its not that bad out."

I shrugged and started slipping it on. "I'm cold."

"I hope you're not coming down with something." Dean said concerned. He tried putting a hand on my forehead but I shook him off and placed the jacket in the backseat instead. I refused to admit I wasn't feeling well and give into a cold. I know, of all the things to be stubborn about…but Dean was stubborn over a lot of things worse than that. I figured it was pretty much even. Before I could get out of the car Dean grabbed my chin and kept me still as he kissed my forehead.

I felt embarrassed that Dean was babying me. "Dude, I'm fine."

"You're a little warm."

"Don't worry about me. Come on, lets get out and play questionnaire before we look super suspicious sitting in the car."

Dean nodded and followed me out. I pulled my sweater sleeves down to cover my hands and we headed to a porch where a guy was sitting under a sign that said Scotty's Café.

"Let me guess." I said gesturing to the sign. "You're Scotty?"

Scotty looked at me and gave me a huge grin. It was kind of unsettling. "Yes I am little lady. Something I can do for you?"

Dean cleared his throat rather loudly. He was standing right next to me but Scotty was acting like he hadn't seen him at all. "For both of you then?" His tone had changed completely on noticing Dean. Might have been a bad thing, I don't think I could wiggle information out of him then.

"Hi, my name's John Bonham."

"Isn't that the drummer for Led Zeppelin?" Scotty asked. Dean looked taken back and I rolled my eyes. He shouldn't have been using band names anyway.

I laughed and smacked Dean in the chest. "He's just kidding. He's a moron like that." I ignored the glare from Dean and I smiled sweetly at the man.

"What can I do for you, John?" He seemed to have ignored the whole thing I had just said, but he was smiling at me again.

Dean took out a picture of the missing couple and handed it to Scotty. He barely looked at them before he discarded it right back.

"Nope. Who are they?"

"Friends of mine. They went missing about a year ago. They passed through somewhere around here, and I've already asked around Scottsburg and Salem—" Dean replied and Scotty interrupted him.

"Sorry. We don't get many strangers around here." It was a pointed statement and he took one last look at me before I looped my arm around Dean's and pulled him away.

"Thanks Scotty."

He leaned down and whispered. "Scotty's got a smile that can light up any room huh?"

I smirked and leaned into him just to push him away. "You're an idiot. You think we should check out his café? He looked shady." I said peering back to look at Scotty. He was staring at us as we got back to the Impala.

Dean smiled slowly. "I'm sure Scotty wouldn't _mind_ at all."

I giggled. "If you tell me you're jealous I'm going to hit you."

Dean let out an amused breath between his lips. "Right, like you could take me."

"Oh, I so could. I just don't want to embarrass you in front of the locals."

Dean reached inside the back of the car and threw his jacket at my head. "Put it on."

I didn't resist and I slipped it on. The smell of Dean, which was soap, leather and a bit of musty cologne filled my senses. I was surprised I could even smell him, seeing as how my nose was stuffed to hell.

"Hey, look." I said motioning to Scotty's café. He was motioning a couple inside with a big smile. It was a big fake smile as far as I could tell. I looked to Dean. "Come on, let's get some coffee."

0o0o0o

We tried heading in and talking to the couple but by the end we had just creeped them out. The man had told us to pretty much back off and Scotty had called the Sherriff out on us. There was definitely something going on, and Dean and I must have been getting close to it.

"I'd like a word, please." The Sherriff asked as us.

Dean sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "Come on. I'm having a bad day already." He mused and the Sherriff leaned down close to us.

"You know what would make it worse?" He whispered and Dean and I looked at another and stood, walking out. He followed us out to the Impala and grabbed my arm at the last moment. Dean hadn't seen him because he was unlocking the car.

"Hey!" I said jerking him off.

"You can stay if you want." He wagged his eyebrows at me. What _was_ it with these people?

Dean turned and saw me jerking back and before he could move, the sheriff made one last attempt to 'handle me.' I reared back and punched him across the face. He knelt to the ground, hissing something like, "You bitch."

"Be lucky Dean didn't get to you first." I said rubbing my knuckles. Dean smirked opening the car door for me and I got in.

"You alright?" he asked me, looking at my bruised knuckles.

"I can't believe I punched the Sherriff. I think I gave him a black eye."

Dean shrugged, starting the car. "I know. I can't believe _you_ got to him first. If I would have gotten there first he'd be walking around with a broken nose."

I smiled at his protectiveness and watched through the rearview mirror as the Sherriff got up and got in his car to follow us out. "I can't believe we're basically getting chauffeured out of town."

He smiled. "There's a first time for everything."

"Right, like we've never been thrown out of places before. Need I remind you of the diner in Boston?"

Dean glared at me. "That was your fault. You thought our waitress was possessed."

I shrugged. "She could have been. It's not my fault you believed me."

"Yeah, but it is my fault I spilled a cup of holy water on her."

I laughed loudly. "She was _so_ upset! Especially since you were yelling Cristo when you did it!"

I wasn't looking at him, I was kind of laughing obnoxiously but I could tell he wasn't mad. After I composed myself I saw him shake his head and smile as he turned the car.

"What?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

He wanted to say something. "What?" I whined. He'd tell me now. I usually got what I wanted when I pouted with him.

"I like your laugh."

I smiled sheepishly and then shook my head. "I know, I do have an amazing laugh don't I?"

Dean smirked and shoved my shoulder lightly. "Way to blow your own horn there Andy."

"Right. Any horn blowing is learned form the master Dean." I shook my head slightly after my sentence as a sneeze snuck up on me.

"Bless you." Dean said. He reached over the back of the seat and handed me a tissue.

I nodded in thanks and blew my nose.

"Hey, throw that out the window alright?" I gave him a look and he narrowed his eyes. "I do _not_ want your snot filled tissues touching my baby."

"I swear if you could, you'd marry this car and have little Impala egotistic Dean babies." I muttered. I cut off my next sentence and took a deep breath, sneezing for a second time.

Dean sighed turning the heat on. "I told you you were going to get a cold."

"Shut. Up." I grit out and rubbed my forehead with my hand. I'd acquired a headache from blowing the gunk out of my nose and Dean's 'I told you so' tone was something I wasn't in the mood for.

"Aw, is my baby all stuffed up and miserable?" Dean teased, leaning over to kiss my forehead quickly.

I pushed him away and made him pay attention to the road. "Your baby?" I said playfully. "I'm on the same level as your car now?"

I opened the glove compartment and grabbed a plastic bag to put my tissues in and set it down by my feet.

"So what are we going to do? Come back later?" I asked.

"Guess so. Remind me to beat those puppy eyes out of Sam the next time I see him."

I looked out the window and it hit me. Who knew the next time we'd see Sam. Neither of us were going to call him, so did that leave it up to Sam? It was hard to believe but he was just as stubborn as me and Dean were, he just didn't show it as often.

The cop car stopped following us after we passed under a bridge. I guess he thought we were going to somehow double back or something. I hated cops. Always had to meddle in things they didn't understand. I knew deep down they were just doing their job and trying to help people; just like we were. But the problem was when they tried to do their job it almost always interrupted our hunts.

As we passed the sign indicating we were leaving Burketsville a shrill beeping noise was sounding from the backseat.

Dean looked alarmed. "Those idiots put a bomb on the car."

I couldn't tell if he was more worried about the car or us. "Calm down Dean. Your bags in the back, is the EMF in it?"

He looked embarrassed now. "Oh, right, yeah it's in there."

He tried reaching back into the bag while trying to steer the car.

"Wait, stop." I said laughing. "If the car doesn't explode you'll wreck it. I'll get it, drive the car." I reached over and grabbed the bag and set it on my lap. It was still beeping frantically as I pulled it out from amidst all the clothes.

"The EMF's off the chart."

Dean pulled the car over and looked out my window. "Look's like were stopping at the orchard."

0o0o0o0o

I shivered as we got out of the car. He turned to walk into the orchard. "Do we need weapons for this?"

Dean turned back around and headed to the trunk. "Doesn't hurt to have a salt gun."

"Kind of does if it's not a spirit."

Dean glowered and pulled out the rounds. "Come on."

I followed him into the orchard and at one point he reached his hand back to hold mine. I smiled but it wasn't the most romantic thing. We were walking hand in hand looking for some evil thing that killed couples. Boy, were we ever in the right place. I mean I should have known this stuff by now. Our lives didn't allow normal things, so therefore this relationship wouldn't be.

He stopped short seeing a scarecrow up ahead. "God." I said grimacing as we approached it. "That's definitely good enough to scare birds…its good enough to scare me."

Dean nodded in agreement and smirked. "Dude, you fugly."

Dean let go of my hand and took a ladder from a nearby tree and set it against the scarecrow. There was some design on the scarecrow's arm. I'd seen it somewhere.

"Dean…isn't that?"

Dean pulled out the flyers and set one of the couples against the arm. The same tattoo that was on the arm of the man was now on the arm of the scarecrow.

"Nice tat." Dean observed.

"So let me get this straight. The scarecrow is killing people for their skin?"

"I don't think so." Dean said getting down from the latter. "It's got something to do with the damn thing I just don't know what."

We headed back to the car and Dean went back into the trunk to get another weapon. "It's not a spirit since that tattoo is covering the thing's arm. So we need regular rounds."

My nose was tickly again, like I had a sneeze that wouldn't come out. I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my hand and it came back with a vengeance. I sneezed twice, barely having time to cover my mouth.

"Bless you." Dean said again and shut the trunk. He placed the gun in the front seat and leaned next to me. "You know that couples going to end up showing up here."

I nodded. "So we'll stake it out. Make sure they don't get eaten, or skinned or…whatever."

He put an arm around my waist and pulled me close. "It might be a while. Why don't we focus on getting you warmer."

I smiled, leaning in to kiss him. "My, my Dean. What ever did you have in mind?"

Dean smirked, kissing my mouth. "Now whose mind is in the gutter?"

Mine. Definitely mine. You can't help it after a while. I wish I could have breathed better through my nose. I had to breathe through my mouth and I felt like I ended up sucking his lips into my mouth. But Dean didn't seem to notice. He opened the car door and pushed me to lie down on the back seat. After a few more minutes of heated 'conversation', he sat up and we got situated enough to shut the door. He sat down first and I sat in between his legs, snuggling against his chest for warmth.

"Maybe we shouldn't do things when you're sick." Dean mused.

I smiled and gingerly kissed his chin. "Oh believe me, I've never felt better."

"I have that effect on people."

There was a little silence before I spoke up again. "This…kind of feels like old times. Without Sam I mean."

Dean nodded but didn't say anything. I think he liked having Sam there and don't get me wrong, I loved having Sam there too. It just reminded me of before when it was just me and Dean out on hunts. The long nights, the bar fights, the card games, the pool hustling, the _learning_ of how to pool hustle, the motel rooms with really bad TV reception and haunted closets. There was just too many things I thought of when I thought back to just me and Dean. And now there was so many new memories and not only of me and Dean. Sam was there too. It made it feel more special, like nobody had grown apart or had left.

"What are you thinking about?" Dean asked, moving some hair away from my face.

I shrugged. "Everything, sorry were you saying something to me?"

He shook his head and smiled, still moving the hair behind my ear. "Not in particular, just rambling I guess."

"You thinking about Sam? Or your dad?"

Dean smirked. "You have some pretty kinky wishes for me to be thinking about Sam when you're basically on my lap."

I shoved him in the ribs and he jerked back. I knew exactly where his ticklish spot was. "You knew what I meant ass."

He smiled but it faded as he drew back into thought. It was obvious he was thinking about them. If they were okay and everything.

"Hey." I said taking his chin in my hand. "You know they'll be okay right?"

"I shouldn't have left Sam by himself. If something happens to him, I'll never forgive my self."

I ran my thumb along his jaw line, tracing his lower lip. "You want me to call him?"

Dean shook his head no and took my hand off his face. He was so damn stubborn. I could not have guessed what he really wanted. He was worried sick about Sam but he didn't want to call him to see if he was okay. I rolled my eyes. And I couldn't do it behind his back either, that would start something else. I figured we'd need to call Sam sooner or later anyway, even if it wasn't to check up. Something told me we weren't going to be able to figure out what this thing was.

I felt really guilty all of a sudden. Dean was sharing things that he'd never tell Sam. He was a softie inside and I was the only one he ever showed it to. I wanted to tell him the thing I had dreamt about, the thing I had tried to keep hidden from the guys since my birthday. The thing Missouri could read and said that I should tell them.

"What?" he asked.

I avoided his eyes. When I looked into them I couldn't lie. It wasn't all me really. He could tell too that I was lying and he called me out on it every time. I hated him for knowing me so well.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking."

He cocked his head to the side to try and catch my glance. Finally he sat up and turned my shoulders to face him. "What is it?"

I didn't want to tell him. I didn't want him angry that I didn't tell him sooner. I looked out the window and breathed a sigh of relief. "Dean, the couples here."

He turned and set me aside on the seat and opened the car door. Thank God for small favors. Although knowing Dean, he'd make me spill the beans. One unpleasant way or the other.

0o0o0o0o

PLEASE reviewww :D the more reviews, the faster it comes...


	20. Chapter 19: Scarecrow Part 3

:D enjoy

Chapter 19: Scarecrow Part 3

"I can't believe it. We just got the car fixed." The woman said getting out of her car. The man nodded and followed her out. Dean and I crouched behind the Impala. I didn't know what we were waiting for. We were supposed to be saving the couple and we were watching them walk into the orchard.

"Dean…" I whispered. He reached back and grabbed my hand tightly. A sign to shut my mouth and to wait a few more minutes.

"Who's there?" I heard the man yell. They started screaming and Dean and I sprinted into the orchard.

"Go back to your car!" Dean screamed reaching the couple.

They just stood there looking alarmed. "Now!" I screamed.

We turned as they ran back to their car and the scarecrow was gaining on us. Dean shot it twice in the chest but it only made it hesitate for a moment. We ran back to the Impala, trying to get as many shots in it as possible. As I said, it didn't really slow it down. Just pissed it off. We finally reached the clearing and Dean and I turned ready to shoot the damn thing again, but it was gone.

"Where the hell did it go?" I asked.

"What—what the hell was that?" The man asked panting.

"Don't ask." Dean snapped and looked to me. We wouldn't have told them the truth anyway but as I looked through the orchard I remembered we didn't know what the hell the truth even was. Time to suck up as much arrogance as we could and call Sam.

0o0o0o0o

"You're going to me make me do it aren't you?" Dean said turning the car out of the clearing.

We'd slept in the Impala until day broke through. Dean had called a community college the night before to try and get any information about the scarecrow. He finally landed a professor who taught Pagan ideology.

I nodded and slipped another sweater over my head. Damn Dean was always rushing us everywhere; he didn't even give me time to change my clothes. I wore my same jeans but I put a different cami and sweater on. As I got dressed I knew how I could get my revenge almost instantly. I had to take my old clothes off and put new ones one. So when he noticed I was undressing right there, he almost wrecked the damn car.

"I'm not calling him. I'm sorry Dean but just this once you're going to have to suck it up."

"Sounds like you could be taking your own advice." Dean said cocking his head to look at me. I just glared at him and he returned his eyes back to the road.

"Are you sure we even need to call him? We know it's a pagan god and you have that appointment with that professor today."

Dean gave me this look and I could tell he thought I was being selfish. But I could still hear Sam's words in my head and they still hurt like hell. Until he apologized I wasn't giving him any sympathy. I knew Dean had to call Sam because he was worried, so he wasn't backing down even if he didn't need information from him.

"Sorry." I said quietly. "I'm being childish and stupid about his thing with Sam."

"You're _not_ stupid. I understand how you feel."

Same thing he'd tried to tell Sam and it was the same response. No he didn't. He didn't know how I felt. But I didn't say that. I just nodded and let him dial Sam's number.

"Hey Sam…yeah it's Dean. You alright?"

There was mumbling on the other line before Dean spoke again. "Yeah, Andy's fine."

I shook my head and looked out the window. Now I was embarrassed. Sam had asked about how I was but I was too selfish and upset to worry about him. The guy had been my best friend once and look at where we were now. I leaned my head against the window and listened to Dean's conversation.

"Yeah, scarecrow jumped right off its cross. Burkitsville, Indiana, fun town."

I motioned for Dean to put him on speaker and he did so. "No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan god, anyway."

"What makes you say that?" Sam's voice said coming through the phone. It was good to hear his voice. My pride wouldn't let it admit this to anyone but I was worried sick about Sam just like Dean was.

Dean moved the phone and I shook my head at wanting to say something. Dean nodded, "The annual cycle of its killings? And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple. Fattening 'em up like a Christmas turkey."

"The last meal. Given to sacrificial victims. So, a god possesses the scarecrow..."

"And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread." Dean finished. The two really did work well together.

"Do you know which god you're dealing with?" Sam asked.

"I'm actually on my way to a local community college. I've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research."

I smiled and Sam laughed. "You know; if you're hinting you need my help, just ask."

"I'm not hinting anything." Dean said smoothly. "Actually, uh—I want you to know….I mean, don't think…"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, too. Will you tell Andy I'm sorry?"

Dean looked at me and I just shook my head. Dean sighed. "Sorry man, I think you're going to have to go on that one yourself."

"I figured." He definitely wasn't getting off that easily.

Dean cleared his throat and I leaned my head against the window like I could care less what they were saying. I knew Dean would get embarrassed and probably back out of what he was trying to say if I was looking at him. "Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life."

Good for Dean. He'd said what he'd been meaning to say probably ever since Sam got out of the car.

"Are you serious?" Sam asked. It was like he didn't think it was Dean doing the talking.

"You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I…" He broke off and I leaned my hand across to squeeze his leg. "Anyway…I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy. Call me when you find Dad."

Sam took a deep breath and you could literally here his head nod. "OK. Bye, Dean."

Dean closed his phone and I leaned over on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you." I said firmly kissing his cheek. He smiled and moved his one hand off the wheel to bring his arm over my shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here Andy." Dean said and left a kiss on my forehead.

He had no idea how much it meant that he was here with me too.

0o0o0o

"What are we doing at the library?" I asked as he parked the car.

"I want you to do some research here in case that professor thing turns into a bust." Dean said leaning over me to open the car door.

"Way to shove me out of the car." I whispered and turned to get out. At the last minute he wrapped an arm around my waist and I squealed as he pulled me back inside and on his lap.

Before I could say anything he pushed his lips down on mine and my arms went up to wrap around his neck. Both of his arms came around my waist, securely pushing me against him.

"Dean…" I tried to say in between kisses. A grunt was his reply. I finally pushed him back a bit but leaned my forehead against his. His breath was hot and quick against my face and I would have given anything to push my lips back on his. But we had job to do and it wasn't long before another couple would stumble into the same mess. Especially since the town probably knew the scarecrow hadn't received its sacrifice last night.

"If we start up again, I won't be able to stop."

He smiled and kissed my lips softly and opened the car door. Was it that cold out before? Or did the inside of the car just turn into a sauna? "Fine, now get out." He said pouting.

I made sure my body pressed against him as I maneuvered my legs out of the car. "Dean…" I said looking back at him. "Shut your mouth."

Apparently he hadn't realized it was slightly ajar from the tease I had let out on him.

"You're a tease Andrea Core!" Dean yelled as he pulled out the parking lot.

I smiled all the way into the library. With Dean Winchester, you always had to leave him with wanting more.

0o0o0o

I yawned going through all the books I could find on pagans and their gods. Everything basically told me the same thing. You sacrifice to a pagan god; they give you whatever you want in return. You stop sacrificing to a pagan god, your luck turns sour and the damn thing hunts you down and pretty much eats you instead. How pleasant. I rubbed my eyes and looked over one last page before I closed the book.

"Huh…" I said quietly, squinting at the page. "Vanir. Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female…"

I turned the page looking at a picture and snickered. "Hello scarecrow…"

I piled the books on the table and headed outside to call Dean. I looked at the time and knew he probably met the professor already but I could tell him my information anyways in case he wasn't getting anywhere. I called him but he didn't answer. I looked at my phone and shook my head free of paranoia and pressed redial.

The guy was known for ignoring his phone but after seven phone calls I knew something had been wrong. I paced and tried to think of what I could do but I had no car and it was a long way back to Burkitsville. And even if I got there, what could I do? I had no weapons, Dean had the Impala. I did the one thing I could do. I called Sam.

He picked up after two rings. "Andy?" he asked. Believe me, he was as surprised as I was I was calling him. Dean was right, I had to take my own advice and swallowing pride is not easy to do. But if Dean was in trouble, I was willing to do anything. "What's wrong? Are you alright?" He must have known I wouldn't be calling him unless I wasn't okay.

"Dean's not answering his phone and I've called him like a hundred times." I said worriedly, ignoring all the questions about myself. "I think he's in trouble Sam."

"Calm down." Sam told me gently. "Where are you?"

"At a library about an hour away from Burkitsville."

"Alright, stay there. I'm coming to get you."

I nodded and hung up the phone. If Dean didn't end up being all right; I was done. With hunting, with everything. I realized that's why I was really there with them, why I did the job at all. It was for Dean.

0o0o0o0o

About two hours later it was starting to get dark. I think it was going to rain or something because the clouds looked menacingly gray. I couldn't sit still either. I just kept walking back and forth in front of the library, twisting my phone in my hands, and looking at the road and the sky.

A navy blue Cobalt sped through the parking lot and halted in front of the front doors. I could see Sam in the driver's seat and I ran to get in the passenger side.

"You alright?" Sam asked me. "I tried to get here as fast as I could."

I nodded and put my seatbelt on. With Sam barreling through the parking lot like he had just done would make Dean put a seatbelt on. The guy knew how to drive for desperate measures if the situation called for it.

"Where did you get the car?"

Sam cleared his throat and looked at me. "I uh, stole it from the greyhound bus parking lot."

I laughed. "Oh, Dean's going to be so proud."

After a while of driving, we finally made it back towards Burketsville.

"I'm glad you called." Sam said.

I looked at my feet and then out the window. "You were the last resort. I'm still mad at you."

"Look Andy, I'm sorry. I should have never opened my mouth about you that way. I had not right."

I turned to him slowly. "It's okay, I understand you were mad."

"Sure I was furious, but I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"It's okay." I said firmly and I tried giving him a small smile. He smiled back and refocused on the road. I was waiting for him to ask me but he didn't say anything. After five minutes I stopped listening for it.

"So…you and Dean huh?" And there it was.

I smiled. "Yeah…"

"Since when?"

"My birthday. I woke up sick form those drinks and Dean made sure I was alright. He gave me this." I showed him the coin around my neck.

"Wow," Sam said. "That's unlike him. So that's it then?"

I nodded. "In a nutshell." I knew what he was fishing for but I wasn't going to give it to him. What happened between me and Dean stayed between me and Dean. If there was threesome information then Sam would know about it, but until then it was Dean and my business only.

"You know knowing Dean, one time or another he'll do some pretty stupid things. And if you need my to kick his ass, just ask."

I grinned. There was the Sam I knew. I reached over and squeezed his hand in thanks. "Thanks Sam."

He nodded. "What are good friends for?"

"Stealing cars apparently, you going to tell me how you pulled that off?"

Sam shook his head amused. "Nope."

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. We were right at the beginning of the orchard and from what I could tell, a lot of cars were piled up in the clearing.

"Sam." I said nudging him. "Something's going on."

Sam nodded and pulled the car over far away from the rest. We waited until the cars were gone and got out to investigate.

"Dean?" I called out.

"You go that way." Sam said and I nodded while he went right.

After ten minutes of finding nothing but rotten apples and stupid tress I heard Sam shout my name and I ran off towards his direction. He was untying Dean and moved to untie a girl's ropes while I finished pulling the ropes off Dean.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Dean said reaching up to hug me as I got the ropes undone.

"How'd you get here?" Dean asked as I helped him up. I motioned him to Sam who untied the girl.

"Our boy stole a car." I said grinning.

Dean laughed, smacking Sam on the shoulder as he joined us. "That's my boy! And keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute."

Sam and I looked at each other confused. "What scarecrow?" he asked.

Dean jerked his head to the side to see that the scarecrows post was empty.

0o0o0o

"Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about—"

"It's the source of its power." Dean said. We turned and say the clearing of the orchard.

"So let's find it and burn it." Sam said.

Dean shook his head. "In the morning. Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up."

We tried heading to the clearing but the townspeople never really left. They were sticking around to make sure that the scarecrow got the job done this time. They cornered us and we couldn't get past without one of them discharging the guns they had.

"Please. Let us go." The girl begged to one of them. They seemed to know each other personally.

"It'll be over quickly." He promised. It was never over quickly and even if it was it wasn't painless.

Before the man could say something else, the scarecrow got tired of waiting. It stuck the sickle through the man's stomach and the girl screamed, running into Dean's arms. The scarecrow came up behind the screaming woman that was next to the dead man and dragged both of them away. The rest of the people holding guns had run off as soon as the damn thing had appeared.

"Come on, let's go." Dean hurried pushing us to the clearing.

We made it back to the Cobalt and Dean just stared at it.

"Come on, we have to head back to the collage to get your car." I said, putting the girl in the backseat.

"You couldn't have stolen something more spacious?" Dean asked Sam. Sam rolled his eyes and got tired of waiting for Dean to get in to drive.

"Lost your driver privileges." I said slipping in the passenger side. Dean squeezed the seat forward and pushed me against the dashboard as he sat back with the girl.

"You alright Emily?" I heard Dean ask her. She was just staring out the window like she'd never seen it before.

She nodded. "It's a lot to handle."

"You're telling me." I said agreeing with her. "You'll stay with us tonight alright?"

She nodded and we headed to pick up the Impala. Dean couldn't have been happier to see the car and he hurried and jumped in the driver's seat. I sat in the back with Emily as Sam took his rightful passenger seat. We headed to the motel and I sat Emily on the tub as I looked at the rope burns across her wrists.

"Why don't you get some sleep." I said putting a small bandage around her wrists.

She thanked me and I looked over to Dean and Sam who were leaning against the kitchenette sink and having a conversation.

"What made you change your mind?" Dean was asking Sam.

"I didn't. I still wanna find Dad. And you're still a pain in the ass." Dean smiled. "But, Jess and Mom—they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You, me and Andy." I approached them and looked between the two. "We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together."

I smiled and Dean nodded. "Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful." He tried to put his hand on Sam's shoulder but he smacked it away. Dean chucked and shook his head.

"She has no family?" I asked. I hated to break the cute bonding moment.

Dean looked to Emily. "She has some family in Ohio. Least we can do is make sure she gets a bus there."

"At least I know where to locate the greyhound bus station." Sam said amused and I shoved him.

Dean looked at us. "So I'm guessing you two kissed and made up?"

Sam and I just looked at each other and I couldn't resist. "Oh yeah, lots of kissing. I think people at the library were insulted."

Sam nodded picking up on the joke. "Yeah, that's why it took so long for us to get you."

I couldn't take Dean's face much longer. He looked like he shocked, amused and angry all at once. I added one final lustful look at Sam, which he returned before Dean broke.

"There was no kissing, I refuse to believe that. Right?" He looked between me and Sam. "None? Right?"

Sam and I burst out laughing while Dean let out a sigh of relief.

"You guys are assholes." Dean said setting his coffee cup in the sink.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, but we're _your_ assholes. All yours."

He headed into the bathroom for a shower and before I could go lay down on the bed Dean latched an arm around my waist and pulled me towards him.

"So was Sam telling the truth?"

"About the kissing? Didn't we just…"

Dean shook his head and leaned in to kiss my neck. "That you're mine?"

I smiled pulling away. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. "I'm all yours Dean, whether you like it or not."

Needless to say, Dean didn't complain about that fact the entire night.

0o0o0o0o

okay, so i'm waiting for feedback before i post the first chapter of faith.


	21. Chapter 20: Faith Part 1

okay i worked on plotting this so please review

okay i worked on plotting this so please review. even if you have some critisim to offer. :D thank you!

Chapter 20: Faith Part 1

_It was dark and the sky was gray like it was going to rain. I was in my backyard but then suddenly in my living room. My house was pitch black except for candles randomly placed around the room. The light made shadows dance off the walls and I made my way up the stairs and to my room. My mother was there in a long black dress and she was leaning against the window. _

"_Mother?" I called out gently._

_But what turned was not my mother. Although I was pretty sure I couldn't tell. Her body was covered with burns. She reached foreword and grabbed my wrist and I could feel her fingers burn all the way to my bones._

I jolted awake, breathing heavily. It was the second dream I had had tonight and I couldn't seem to close my eyes without waking up an hour later. The first dream hadn't been so bad; I was able to fall back asleep rather quickly. But this one was playing over and over in my head and I couldn't get it to stop.

"Andy?" I heard someone ask. It was Dean. I must have woken him up this time. "You alright?" he asked me.

My back was against him and I could feel him sitting up and leaning over me. "Jesus, you're shaking. What happened?"

"Nothing." I whispered. "Just a bad dream."

"Another one?"

"I don't want to talk about it okay?" My voice was breaking due to tears and lack of sleep and I turned over to face him. I could feel him shake his head and he pulled the blankets back over me. His one arm encircled me and pulled me into his chest. I rested my forehead somewhere between his neck and his shoulder and took deep breaths to try and calm myself.

It was just a dream. I tried telling myself that over and over again but sooner or later I knew that as going to become less true. And I'd have to tell Sam and Dean about them. After a while of laying there I realized that I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep. I tried to peek over Dean's shoulder to see what time it was. The clock showed 4:50 AM. Sam usually got up around five anyway so I kissed Dean on the cheek and tried to pull myself from his grasp. I smiled as his hold on me tightened in his sleep. Even when he was sleeping he was trying to keep me safe.

I went into the bathroom and quietly shut the door. I turned the shower on and felt the tap. Damn motels took forever for the water to heat up and then when you finally got it to, the hot water lasted for ten minutes. I went to the mirror and pulled my hair out of the ponytail. That's when I saw it. My wrist had burns on it.

0o0o0o0o

"Morning." Sam said quietly as I came out of the bathroom. "You done in there? I wanted a shower."

I nodded and slipped a sweatshirt over my tee. "Can I talk to you? Outside?"

Sam looked at me hesitantly. "Yeah, sure."

He followed me outside and I leaned against the railing. What was nice about this motel was that it was slightly fancier than the ones we were used to. I don't know if it cost more money or anything but the room was slightly bigger and had a balcony. The balcony wasn't huge or anything, just a lawn chair was all that could fit on it, but it was nice to just step outside and enjoy the weather.

"You alright?" Sam asked closing the door. I really wished people would stop asking me that. Although seeing my reflection in the mirror this morning I could understand why he asked.

I twisted my hands nervously. "I've been having these nightmares."

Sam shifted on his feet and nodded. "Dean's told me."

I sighed. Maybe this was a bad idea. I didn't want Dean to know; I didn't want him to worry. This was my problem. He had enough things to bear already; I didn't want to take this on him too.

"I won't tell him if you don't want me to Andy." Sam said as if reading my mind.

"It's not about telling Dean it's just…"

"Look, I know what its like to have nightmares that scare the crap out of you. I know its taking a lot for you to tell me about it." Sam said stepping towards me.

"So you won't tell Dean? I'm just afraid…I don't want him to be worried."

"Should he be?"

I looked at the door like Dean was going to come crashing through it any minute, demanding I tell him what was going on.

"I've been having these nightmares about my mom and how she died." Sam nodded but didn't say anything. He leaned his back against the railing watching me talk. "But something's different. The last nightmare I had gave me these."

I held up my right arm and showed him the burn circling my wrist. Sam sat up from the railing and ran his hands over it cautiously, like it was still hot or something.

"My God Andy." Sam breathed. "Does it hurt?"

I shook my head no. "During the dream it did."

"What happened in your dream?" He kept running his fingers over it, touching it gently, making sure it wasn't as bad as it looked.

"Um, I was at my old house and it was about to rain." I shook my head. He didn't need to hear the whole boring beginning. "Basically I ended up in my room and my mom was there but she was burned. Her whole entire skin had burns and blisters on it. She grabbed my wrist and I woke up."

Sam looked like he was in deep thought although I knew he'd been listening the whole time. When he let go of my hand I end up playing with the bottom of my sweatshirt. It's a nervous habit. Dean taps things when he's impatient or trying to think, Sam paces and sometimes mumbles to himself and I play with the bottom of my shirt or sweater. Whatever's on. Always need to do something with my hands.

"Nothing like this has ever happened with you right?" I asked him. My voice was streaked with worry. But I made it out like I was worried about him, like he had gone through something like this and hadn't told anyone.

I don't know if I was disappointed or relieved when he shook his head no. "No, but I'll look into it okay? I'll figure out what's going on. And once we know and we know whether to freak out or not, we'll tell Dean."

I nodded. There were worse things to be secretive about.

"Thanks Sam." I stepped forward and hugged Sam tightly. He seemed awkward about it, which was odd. We'd hug all the time; but then the thought occurred to me. I was with Dean now. Did that make me different? Did it make me and Sam different? He brought his arms up around me nonetheless and hugged me gently. It wasn't the Sammy Winchester hugs he was known for, but it'd have to do.

We walked back in and Dean was already awake, getting coffee out of the coffee pot. Good things about kitchenettes, they came with coffee makers. But surprisingly, never with the coffee. You had to buy some. And then there was the milk and sugar, we learned a long time ago to just drink it black. But every so often Sam and I would stick a ton of sugar packets into our pockets at diners. Dean always looked at us like we were crazy, but I knew he enjoyed it when he had something to put in his coffee.

Sam headed straight for the bathroom and I felt like hitting him with the door on the way in. Way to avoid Dean Sam, and leave me to look straight in his eyes and lie to him. Although I knew that was all up to me. I could tell him the truth if I wanted to, but I was afraid to. So I didn't.

He turned slightly as I approached him. He was against the counter mixing his coffee and I leaned on his back, encircling my arms around his waist. "When did you wake up?"

"About ten minutes ago." His voice was gruff like he'd just woken up not a moment ago. I laid my head on his back. "Where were you two?"

"Out on the balcony, he was just clearing his head and trying to wake up and I was telling him the bathroom was free." It was a good thing his back was to me, otherwise my face would have lit up like a flare and Dean would have known I was lying.

He stopped leaning over the counter when he was done stirring his coffee and I pulled back and went to get a water bottle out of the fridge. I went over to my purse and pulled out some lemonade packets. Good thing my purse was big enough to stash things when we went 'shopping'. Couldn't tell you how many times I had gotten away with things with this purse.

"What are you doing?" he asked, watching me.

I ripped one of the packets and poured it into the water bottle. "Instant lemonade." I started shaking the bottle from side to side to mix in the powder.

Dean sighed and set his coffee back down on the counter. He'd raised it to take a sip but all he could focus on was my lemonade mixing skills. Go figure. "When are we going to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." I said simply. I should have just played it off like I had no idea what he was talking about. Now it was obvious I knew we had to talk and that I was trying to put it off.

"Bullshit Andy, alright?" It kind of surprised me to see him swear at me. I shouldn't have been, he swore all the time. Just not to me. "You had two nightmares last night that scared the crap outta you. There _is_ something to talk about."

I shook my head and let out a sigh. It wasn't an angry or frustrated sigh. I was tired. "Look Dean I really just don't want to talk about it okay?"

"So it's okay for you to tell Sam…" My breath caught in my throat and it felt like I was choking. "But not me." He sounded so disappointed and hurt. No, he sounded betrayed.

"How did…" I didn't know why that was coming out of my mouth instead of I'm sorry.

"Walls are thin Andy. Plus I woke up and you weren't here. I was worried." He shook his head and scoffed like he shouldn't have been so worried. Like he shouldn't have given a damn about me in the first place.

I stepped towards him but he stepped back. It was a dance I wasn't into. "Dean, I'm sorry."

Dean nodded and pursed his lips. "Yeah, me too."

With that he grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

0o0o0o0o

I couldn't believe Dean had just walked out. I sank down on one of the beds and just sat there waiting for Sam to emerge from the bathroom. I just prayed to God Dean came back. I knew he was probably just burning off some steam but I couldn't shake the nervousness in my stomach.

"Andy, what is it?" Sam asked sitting next to me. He smelled of new sprayed cologne and soap.

"Dean and I had a fight, he left." I said quietly. "It's my fault. I should have just told him."

Sam sighed and ran a hand through his wet locks. "Yeah, I guess so. But it's not like Dean doesn't have secrets yeah know?"

I smiled and looked at my hands. "It's okay Sam; you don't have to stick up for me like that."

"You want me to say something?"

I shook my head and heard someone approach the door. "No, I think I have to fix this one myself."

"Got us a job." Dean said walking in with a newspaper. He was looking directly at Sam and handed him the newspaper when he got closer to us. It amazed me how he wasn't mad at Sam at all. Just me. I guess I deserved that.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Local children have been getting kidnapped from their homes. When their found it says that they look like they've been eaten."

"Werewolf?" I knew that wasn't right but I wanted to say something. To prove that I was still there.

Sam shook his head. "Lunar cycle isn't right." It wasn't the brother I wanted to answer me.

"Remember those things in dad's journal? He called them…damn what was it, Rawheads?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah I remember that. Kidnapped children, fed off them, you electrocute them right?"

Dean wasn't looking at me but I could tell he wanted to. I was the one who knew what the hell he was talking about but he still didn't look. Just looked at Sam nod along right with what I was saying.

"We need to shag ass and find the house its living in, it feeds at night."

"It doesn't live in the woods? I mean are you sure it's living in a house?" I asked getting up from the bed to find my shoes.

"No, when it's on a crucial feeding cycle it doesn't bother dragging them into the woods. It's late this season, it won't have time." Dean snapped.

"Dean, chill alright? It was just a question." Sam tried. But I didn't need him to stand up for me.

"Huh, now look who's coming to your rescue." Dean teased. But it was anything but playful. He was pissed and Sam coming to my defense was just fueling the fire. "Alright Sam you want to be there for her, rescue her? Good for you. Because I'm sure as hell not doing it anymore."

He made sure he had his keys and headed out to the Impala. It was the second time he'd walked out on me today and I was pretty sure I couldn't take it one more time.

0o0o0o0o

We patrolled around the neighborhood, trying to find anything that looked suspicious but we couldn't find anything. We decided to look around the neighboring houses of the last house that had children kidnapped. It was probably something we should have done first. We got out of the car and headed around to the trunk where Dean took out tasers and handed them to us.

"What do you got those amped up to?" Sam asked.

"A hundred thousand volts. I want this rawhead extra frickin' crispy. And remember, you only get one shot with these things. So make it count."

Sam and I nodded and followed Dean into the house. We headed down to the basement after looking through the rest of the house. Dean motioned to a cupboard; the doors were rattling slightly.

We held up our tasers and waited for Dean to count the three. He threw the door open and two children were cowering inside.

"Is it still here?" Sam asked them and the children nodded. We helped them out of the cupboards and Sam started the take them upstairs. The Rawhead grabbed Sam from underneath the stairs and the children started screaming as Sam fell. He got up just as quickly as he fell and threw the taser at Dean, who caught it easily.

"Come on." Dean called holding up his taser, waiting for the thing to strike. I watched him walk through a puddle to cross the room and I followed him to watch his back. Suddenly the creature appeared at the bottom of the stairs and came rushing towards us. I raised the taser and it knocked it straight out of my hands. Before I could retaliate the thing charged and Dean pushed me out of the way. I landed against the wall, hitting my head on a box on the floor. I must have blacked out for a moment because the next thing I knew Sam was shaking me awake. As soon as I came to he moved over to someone beside me. He was shaking Dean and calling his name. But he wasn't moving. I thought he was dead.

0o0o0o0o

I paced in front of Sam as we waited for the doctor to come out and tell us about Dean. We had ridden in the Ambulance with Dean on the way here. But they hadn't been able to get his heart rate back in a healthy rhythm.

"Can you stop that please?" Sam asked watching my feet. "I'm the pacer remember? You're making me dizzy."

I didn't care. My legs had minds of their own and they wouldn't stop walking back and forth or shaking.

"Andy, seriously."

I didn't answer him. Just kept looking at the door they had taken Dean through. My heart kept throbbing violently in my chest and I felt hot tears pool around my eyes. I blinked them away and Sam stood, finally sick of me not hearing him. He grabbed my shoulders and stopped my pacing.

I looked up at him and his face softened along with his grip. "He's going to be okay right?" I asked him desperately. "I need him to be okay."

He pulled me into a tight hug and tried rocking me slightly. It's what Dean did when I got really upset and it made me wonder how Sam knew that.

"Sir?" A nurse came up and Sam pulled back slightly to look at her. His arm remained around my shoulders, holding me to his chest.

"Yes?" he asked. He sounded like he'd been crying.

"We don't seem to have any insurance on file."

"Oh, right." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet with the insurance card. He was fumbling with only one hand but I was grateful his arm had stayed around me. I was pretty sure if Sam hadn't been holding me up my legs would have given out. I couldn't feel them. Actually, I was pretty sure every part of my body was numb. I barely felt Sam rubbing my back and arms. It left like there was a wall of cotton between his hand and my body.

The nurse looked at the card. "Okay, Mr. Burkovitz."

Sam sat me in the chair he was sitting in before and glanced over at Dean's room. "I'm going to go talk to the cops."

"What are you going to tell them?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'll think of something. You going to be alright?"

I nodded; I had been ready to ask him the same question. Sam tilted his head to the side like he didn't believe me. He shrugged his jacket it off and slipped it over my shoulders and went to go talk to the cops. I knew he was going to make it out like Dean had done something heroic to end up where he was. But he wasn't a hero. Not today. Saving me wasn't heroic, it was selfish. _I_ could be replaced; I wasn't the key to this team or to Sam. Sam and Dean needed one another to do their job; they didn't need me like they needed each other.

I saw the doctor come out of Dean's room and I joined Sam to hear what he had to say. My heart was hammering in my chest and I swear I couldn't hear anything over the frantic beating.

"Hey, Doc. Is he—" Sam treaded cautiously.

"He's resting. The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart—it's damaged."

"How damaged?" I asked.

"We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point. But, I'd give him a couple weeks, at most, maybe a month."

I was wondering if my heart breaking into a million pieces would be covered on the insurance card. It seemed like it should have been.

Sam was still denying everything. "No, no. There's—there's gotta be something you can do, some kind of treatment."

The doctor looked at him sadly. "We can't work miracles. I really am sorry."

I watched as Sam headed into Dean's room. I couldn't see him yet. Not yet. I kept trying to think that he was still upset with me and that's why I couldn't see him. It was easier than thinking he was dying. This was all my fault.

Sam came back out about five minutes later looking angry and upset. He brushed past me and muttered something about coffee and I inched towards Dean's room. I peeked in through the door and he was watching television, aimlessly flipping through channels.

"I can pretty much feel you lurking Andy." Dean announced suddenly. "Might as well come in."

I walked in and closed the door behind me. "How are you?" What a _stupid_ question to ask. He probably felt as horrible as he looked. This wasn't the Dean I knew. This one looked weak and afraid. He was very pale and had dark purple circles under his eyes. I could tell he was in pain too and that the meds were barely taking the edge off.

I shook my head and sat in the visitors chair next to his bed. For some reason when I saw him like this I was furious. But I couldn't pinpoint why.

Dean must have picked up on it right away. "I can't figure it out." He said, turning the TV off.

"What?"

"Why you're so pissed at me. I mean, last time I checked I'm the one who was angry."

"I'm not mad at you." I said simply. But he was right. I was mad and I had no right to be. I was the one who screwed up this morning. But I couldn't help it. The way he was lying there in that hospital bed was my fault and it made me furious. He didn't believe what I had just said. I could see it written on his face.

"Right, because that scowl you've had since you've sat down is from seeing that fabric softener teddy bear." Dean said. "Seriously what's wrong?"

"It's just…what's the game now?" I stood up and started pacing. Looks like I had more than one nervous habit. "Go on a hunt and try and get yourself killed?" He looked at me like he couldn't judge whether I was serious or not. "See how many death defying stunts will rattle people? You shouldn't have pushed me out of the way." I said angrily.

Dean sat up in his bed and put his hands up in defense, like he was going to get punched by my words alone. "Okay, where the hell is this coming from? No need to thank me for saving your ass out there."

Didn't he get it? This wasn't about me. "You and Sam are the only two people I have left. I don't want you to watch my back; I want you to watch your own!"

Dean just looked at me. His face softened after a moment and I looked away from him. The room was quiet after my yelling and my heart kept beating right along with Dean's heart monitor. At least he understood now, how much they really meant to me. Understood how scared I was that one hunt I'd lose them and I could do nothing to stop it. Just like today.

"Come here." He said gently, motioning to the side of his bed. I looked at him hesitantly. I knew he was only forgiving me because I was crying that I let him get hurt and that he could tell I was scared to death of loosing him.

I sat on the bed and he sat up as much as he could and pulled me into a hug, I knew his chest was probably killing him but it felt good to be in his arms again.

"You're going to die because of me." I said. My quiet tears I'd been holding back turned into shuddering sobs.

He pulled me back for a moment and waited for my eyes to reach his. When I did he smiled slightly and pushed my hair behind my ear.

"You know that's not true. You know how this job is Andy."

"You shouldn't have pushed me out of the way." I argued.

"I'd do it again. Every time." Dean squeezed my shoulders and pulled me back into his chest, holding me tightly. He held me until the door knocked and Sam came in with coffee. I pulled back and went to get a cup from him.

"I'm going to head back to the motel. You might need to stay overnight for observation."

Dean rolled his eyes and muttered something about stupid hospitals. "You better not be doing what I think you're doing." Dean said taking a careful look at Sam.

Sam just shrugged. "Nothing I haven't already told you."

"Sam." It sounded repeated, like they'd had this conversation before and Sam was trying Dean's patience with it.

I just kept my mouth shut and nursed the cup of coffee in my hands like I couldn't hear them.

"You coming with me?" Sam asked. I nodded and Sam motioned for Dean to give him the keys. He rolled his eyes and pulled them out from a drawer next to him. I loved how he probably didn't know where his clothes or wallet were but he made damn sure he knew where his keys were. "I'll get the car."

"I can see Sam's going to be pleasant on the drive back." I said and walked back over to Dean.

"Just make sure my car makes it back alright."

I smiled slightly and nodded. "I'm really sorry about this morning."

"We'll talk about it later."

I leaned in close to his face. "But we're okay?"

Dean nodded, smiling. "We're okay."

I kissed him on the cheek and before I could pull away his hand curled behind my neck and pulled me into a long kiss on the lips.

"I'll come get you when you call alright?"

He nodded. "Andy, keep Sam out of trouble okay?"

I hadn't heard their earlier conversation, but knowing them I knew what it was about. And I was going to help Sam any way I could.

0o0o0o0o

its 2008...you should know how the review button works. :DDD


	22. Chapter 21: Faith Part 2

okay i worked on plotting this so please review

Chapter 21: Faith Part 2

Dean called me about a half an hour when we got back to the motel. Sam was on the phone, searching through books, writing down notes, clicking on sites on his laptop. Damn, anything near the thing that could give him answers he was looking into. He looked like he needed sleep.

"Sam, you want me to take over? Maybe you should rest a bit?" My phone vibrated again and I pushed ignore. Dean was in a damn hospital and he couldn't leave himself, he could wait a minute.

Sam shook his head vigorously. "No, I think I'm onto something." That's what he thought ten minutes ago, and ten minutes before that. But I just shut my mouth and nodded. I dialed Dean's cell again and went to grab my jacket and keys. I was about to tell Sam where I was heading but something told me he wouldn't have heard me anyways.

As I shut the door I heard him on his phone.

"Hey, Dad. It's Sam…"

I hoped Sam was okay. Usually when it involved Sam asking his dad for help it meant it was the last resort and had nothing to turn to.

0o0o0o0o

I drove up to the drop off of the hospital and saw Dean waiting outside. I got out of the car and went up to him. He was leaning against the side wall.

"Dean what are you doing? You're supposed to be in bed."

"I missed you." He said smiling. I shook my head and helped him to the car, which he was not happy about. But I'm sure he knew if he pushed me off I'd be pissed.

"Yeah, right. You just need a ride and calling Sam would get you yelled at."

"At least when you yell at me I kind of like it." Dean said making me smile. I put him in the passenger seat and sat in the drivers.

"You're not getting out of this so easily Dean Winchester." Although I knew it was an empty threat. He knew I wouldn't be able to fight with him, that's why he called me. Although I did know how to make him feel uncomfortable. I smiled to myself as I popped in one of my own cassette tapes.

"What is _this_?" Dean asked as Rascal Flatts' song 'Feels like Today' started playing.

I grinned and shrugged nonchalantly as I started the car. "Oh this? This is your punishment. I may not be able to yell at you but I can burn your ears."

"This is an insult to my car. Why is this even on your tapes?"

"The cassette is specially labeled 'Songs that annoy Dean.' Don't make me roll down the windows and blast the music."

Dean took a steady look at me. "You wouldn't."

I nodded and smiled, patting my hand on his leg. "Oh, I would."

I turned up the volume a bit and smiled as Dean looked at me like I was crazy. "Don't look at me like that Dean. I know you know the words."

"And I'm trying so hard not to." Dean said looking at me out of the corner of his eyes. He was trying not to smile.

_It feels like today I know it feels like today I'm sure  
It's the one thing that's missin'  
The one thing I'm wishin'  
Life's sacred blessin'  
It feels like today  
Feels like today._

I sang right along with the song and Dean smiled slightly. He put a hand on my thigh and squeezed it. "You're a dork." He said affectionately.

"You really know how to make a girl swoon, ya know that?" I said sarcastically pulling into the parking lot of the motel.

I parked the car and handed Dean the keys to put in his pocket. When he stretched back in his seat to put the keys in his jeans he winced in pain and I inched foreword putting a hand on his arm.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. I had almost forgotten that his chest must have been in pain. Hell, I had forgotten all about how he wasn't really okay. It was funny really; how could anyone forget something like that? He was trying to put on a strong front and I felt bad he had to pretend he was okay when he really wasn't.

"Yeah I'm okay." I looked down and after a moment he put a hand under my chin and lifted it so I was looking at him. "Hey…I'm okay." He said softly and slowly so I would understand.

He pulled me into a gentle hug and rested his head on top of mine. I hadn't noticed that he was in a sweatshirt. It was far from Dean's regular attire. I kind of liked it; it was nice to rub my face against something other than his leather jacket. I knew it wouldn't be long until he changed back though. He kissed the top of my head and pulled back.

"I'm sorry I'm being such an idiot lately." I said, running a hand through my hair. "I just…don't want to lose someone else."

Dean shook his head and gave me a long kiss on the mouth. "You're not going to lose me, I'm not going anywhere."

I knew he was trying to comfort me. But his words weren't doing it this time.

0o00o0o

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sam asked opening the door for us.

"I checked myself out." Dean said sitting in a chair near the bed.

"You supporting this?" Sam asked me.

"Don't look at me, I already tried to yell at him."

"What, are you crazy?" Sam asked turning his attention back to Dean.

Dean shrugged. "I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot." I glared at him and he quickly regretted that statement. "Not that I was looking." Wow, how smooth can you get?

"You know this whole I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death thing? It's crap. I can see right through it." Sam said trying to make a point. We both knew Dean was really scared of what was happening to him but he'd never admit it.

Dean just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, dude. Have you even slept? You look worse than me."

Sam sighed determined not to fight with him. "I've been scouring the Internet for anything. I was calling every contact in Dad's journal. One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called me back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist."

"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?"

I went over near him and leaned against the chair, shoving his shoulder. "We're not gonna let you die, period ass. We're going."

"Cause I can see I'm so loved." Dean said sarcastically, pulling me to lean against him.

And he was. By Sam and me both, I just hoped the hell he knew that.

0o0o0o0o

We woke up around ten to drive to the place Sam had been telling us about. When we got outside to get in the car, we ran into a problem. Dean refused to let either of us drive. And the thing was, it wasn't like we could literally shove him into the back seat without hurting him.

"Dean, give me the keys please." I begged him. I didn't want him to drive. He could end up getting hurt or worse, as he would think it, hurt his car. "You'll end up hurting your baby." I tried.

"You'll be sitting right up front with me." He said smiling.

I shook my head. He was trying to gain as many points as he possibly could. "Nice try. Give me the keys."

Dean stuck out his lower lip and pouted. "You'd think a dying man could drive his car."

"You did not just play the 'I'm dying card'." Sam said getting into the back seat.

But it worked. Sam got in the back and I took the passenger. We'd let him drive, at least until we needed gas.

"I'm blasting Rascal Flatts." I insisted.

Dean and Sam screamed no in unison. It was going to be a long drive.

0o0o0o0o

About an hour later we were searching for a gas station.

"See one on there?" Dean asked me.

"Um, about…I don't know twenty minutes away." I said looking at the map.

"Hope we don't run out by then." Dean mused.

"You didn't check the tank when we drove past the gas station near the motel?"

"I was preoccupied." Dean looked at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I found that hard to believe. "With what?"

Dean looked like he was trying to find something to say and then his eyes drifted down to my chest. "Well for one, don't you think your shirts a little low cut?"

"Oh God…" Sam groaned.

I looked down at my emerald v-neck. Like he wasn't enjoying it. "Well if I would have known you were going to stare at my chest and not the gas tank I would have worn something less appealing."

Dean cocked his head and gave me a sideways glance. "Sweetheart, it wouldn't matter what you were wearing. You'd still look beautiful."

I couldn't help but smile. Way to gain points Dean.

"I think I might vomit." Sam announced and Dean glared at him through the rearview mirror.

"Don't you _dare_ in my car." Dean threatened. We stopped for gas and everyone switched places in the car. Dean was now in the back seat, Sam was going to drive and I'd be in passenger. Sam went in to pay for the gas and grab chips or something and I turned in my seat.

"Want me to sit back with you?" I asked him.

He was huddled up against the passenger side of the car and he nodded meekly, like he was tired. When I started to climb over the seat he seemed to wake up.

"You're too tall to climb over!" he said and I giggled. I plopped down next to him and he shook his head. "I'm glad you think it's funny. I'm going to leave you this car with all your footprints on the ceiling."

I looked at him seriously. "You're going to give me this car, you're not going to give it to Sam?"

Dean shrugged looking at his hands. "No I want you to have it. Plus I know Sam will be right here with you all the way. It's kind of like I'm giving it to both of you." He was embarrassed and was trying to weasel his way out of saying he would give it to me in the first place. But I knew what he had said and it touched my heart. Even though it was just a car. It was _his_ car, it was a part of him. And the prospect that he'd give it to me meant everything.

I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He pulled me closer to him and I snuggled against his chest while he wrapped an arm over to hold me to him.

"What happened?" he asked motioning to my wrist.

"You didn't hear me tell Sam?" I asked him. He shook his head looking worried and I sat up from him.

"I heard the part about not telling me something. Basically I was just pissed about that."

"The last dream I had was about my mom and when she touched me, I woke up with this."

"Jesus Andy." Dean said rubbing over my burn. "You should have told me about this."

"I didn't want you to be worried. You had enough on your plate and you definitely have more to worry about now." I said cautiously. It was all about choosing the right words so he wouldn't be offended or upset. I really couldn't take fighting with him. Not after the hospital.

He let go of my wrist and just nodded. He looked out the window, his one arm leaning against the car and his hand came up to rub over his face.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." I said softly. "Really sorry."

He pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head. "We'll figure out what's going on okay?"

I nodded and leaned my head on his chest, closing my eyes. He didn't say he accepted my apology but he wasn't angry and that was really all I could ask for at the moment.

0o0o0o0o

reviews are, as always, welcomed :D


	23. Chapter 22: Faith Part 3

yayyy longer chaper :D please please review, it'd be much appricated. thank you to all my reviewers who always say something on each chapter!

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 22: Faith Part 3

We pulled into a dirt road with a sign that said, "The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle." I rolled my eyes. Yeah, someone who performs miracles out of a tent is called a ringleader. This was absurd and I knew as soon as Dean saw the sign he'd be on Sam's ass for it.

Sam hurried out of the car and tried to help Dean out. Was it a race or something? I was going to get out and help him.

"I got it." Dean said angrily and shoved Sam off. "Man, you are a lying bastard. Thought you said we were going to see a doctor." He held his side for a moment and leaned against me as I rounded the car.

"I believe I said a specialist." He sounded like a snot when he said that. "Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal."

Dean rolled his eyes at the people who came out of the tent and passed us. "I can't believe you brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent."

A lady shook her head at Dean. "Reverend LeGrange is a great man."

The lady was lucky Dean wasn't feeling good but in all respect I did see him try to conceal the fact that he was flipping her off. "Yeah, that's nice… but come on, Sam, a faith healer?" Dean asked as we went towards the tent.

"Maybe it's time to have a little faith, Dean." Sam was really trying here and I felt kind of sorry Dean couldn't put aside his pigheadedness to see his brother out. Not that I had much faith either. I gave up on having faith a long time ago.

"You know what I've got faith in? Reality. Knowing what's really going on." Dean said shifting his arm around me. I was having trouble figuring out who was holding up whom.

"How can you be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?" Sam asked stopping and turning.

"Exactly. We see them, we know they're real." I said putting up the defense for Dean. Sam did not look happy about it either. I felt for Sam but Dean was right. If you can see and/or touch it you know it's real. You couldn't touch God, only his followers. And sometimes doing that is more than you bargained for.

"But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too?" Sam was always the believer. I bet Dean didn't even know he prayed every night. I bet he didn't know I used to too.

"Because I've seen what evil does to good people." Dean argued assuming he was right. And you know what happens when you assume.

"Maybe God works in mysterious ways." But unfortunately she didn't make him feel like an ass. I could practically feel his smile grow at the sound of her voice.

Dean looked towards the woman who'd made herself known. "Maybe he does." She was pretty. My height, shoulder length blonde hair, nice features…not too bad. I was trying not to be uptight about it. I knew if she was here that she might not have been in good health. But that didn't mean I couldn't be angry at Dean. "I think you just turned me around on the subject." Dean continued and I let go of his arm. Was I not _standing_ right there?

"Yeah, I'm sure." I said heading into the tent, Sam following.

I heard Dean try to call me back but I kept going, trying to find a seat.

"Up front?" Sam asked me, motioning to a semi empty row.

I nodded, I knew sitting that close would piss the hell out of Dean. He joined us and of course the woman sat in front of us.

"You alright?" Sam asked him as he sat next to me.

"Yeah, sure you don't need to calm any part of your person down?" I asked pointedly.

"Oh come on." Dean said trying to put an arm around me. "I was just being friendly."

I moved away from his grasp. "Friendly and flirting are too different things. Just like there's a difference between another girl and your _girlfriend_. Or there should be."

I shouldn't have been getting this upset. It wasn't the time or place for it. Plus I was pretty sure the woman was listening to our conversation. Is that being paranoid?

"I'm sorry." Dean said seriously. "I don't exactly have a handle on this whole boyfriend thing yet okay? I'm sorry."

I looked at him and he seemed sympathetic and he was right. He really was learning to be a boyfriend. The guy probably had a girlfriend as many times as Sam had fun. As I said, not that many.

"Okay." I said and nodded. He smiled slightly and pulled me to lean against him. Which I did because I seem to be sap when it comes to him. He's just so muscular feeling and he smells so damn good. Like all the time. How could you give that up? Especially when we didn't know if this guy was going to be able to help or not.

The service started a few minutes later. A woman led a man on stage, I'm guessing he was LeGrange. He seemed to be blind and I wanted to scoff. But you wouldn't believe the hearing blind people can punch out.

"Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it? Who does the healing here, friends? The Lord who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts."

Dean leaned in and muttered to us. "Yeah, or into their wallets."

I winced as the church grew quiet. "You think so, young man?" LeGrange asked Dean. Dean looked up embarrassed. I told you; wicked hearing.

"Sorry."

"No, no. Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, we've got real sharp ears. What's your name, son?"

Dean hesitated and I nudged him. He cleared his throat. "Dean."

"Dean." Roy nodded and motioned towards the crowd. "I want—I want you to come up here with me."

Dean shook his head. "No, that's ok maybe you should just pick someone else." I shook my head. Now was definitely not the time to be a martyr.

"Put your martyr away Gandhi." I hissed quietly. There were more suffering, sick people in this room that deserved this more than Dean. But I loved him; selfishly. I wasn't just going to sit there and watch him die. I wouldn't and couldn't do it.

"Oh, no, I didn't pick you, Dean, the Lord did." Roy said motioning again. Dean really had no choice. Sam and I were basically pushing him out of his seat. He looked pissed as he approached the stage. I didn't care. At least he'd have the rest of his life to be pissed at me.

Dean stood on stage looking very uncomfortable. "You ready?" Roy asked.

Dean leaned in and whispered something to Roy. It was probably something about him not being a believer.

Roy looked skeptical, like he was going to change whatever Dean had said. "You will be, son. You will be. Pray with me, friends."

The crowd lifted their hands and joined in Roy's prayer. Even though I'd never tell Dean, I prayed too. Roy placed a hand on Dean's shoulder and he looked nervous. When he placed his hand on Dean's head he looked like he was dizzy and he closed his eyes. Dean suddenly collapsed on the stage and the crowd cheered and clapped which made me feel like this was a sick joke.

We rushed to Dean and I reached him first. I gave him a firm shake and Dean burst awake suddenly and looked like he was trying to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked him and he laid his head in my arms. "Dean?"

He seemed preoccupied by looking at Roy…or maybe something past Roy.

I held Dean on the way to the car even though he bitched and complained all the way there. I rolled my eyes, he was worse than me sometimes.

"So, you really feel okay?" Sam asked.

"I think we should go to the hospital." They both gave me weird looks. "Look, I'm the last person who wants to go okay? But we need to make sure your hearts really okay."

"I feel fine." Dean snapped wanting the keys.

I nodded. "Apparently we need to get your mood swings checked too."

He kissed me on the head but it was a rough kiss. Like it wasn't like he wanted to do it but because he had to. I didn't like it.

Well whether or not he liked it, _I_ was driving to the hospital. He couldn't do a thing about it. I had the keys. The skill of pick pocketing Sam really comes in handy.

0o0o0o0o

"Well, according to all your tests, there's nothing wrong with your heart. No sign there ever was." Dean looked at the nurse surprised. "Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but, still it's strange it does happen."

"What do you mean, strange?" Dean asked. He couldn't let us be happy for two seconds that he was okay could he?

"Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, twenty-seven, athletic. Out of nowhere, heart attack."

Dean looked at me concerned and I shrugged, although I knew Dean's look was on the money. Stuff like that didn't just happen.

"Maybe it's a coincidence. People's hearts give out all the time, man." Sam said. He was trying really hard to blow this conversation off. But he knew Dean and he wasn't just going to let this go.

"No, they don't." Dean argued.

"Look, Dean, do we really have to look this one in the mouth? Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?"

"Because I can't shake this feeling, that's why." Dean said slipping his coat on.

"What feeling?" I asked him.

"When I was healed, I just—I felt wrong. I felt cold. And for a second, I saw someone. This, uh, this old man."

"A spirit?" I asked and Dean nodded.

Sam scoffed and folded his arms over his chest. "But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it, too. I mean, I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately."

I rolled my eyes. "If you would have saw it that means I would have too."

"Not necessarily." Sam tried. I'm glad he was trying to point out he was special.

"Well excuse me oh gifted one."

Dean smiled. "She's right man and look I've been hunting long enough to know the difference."

Sam was reluctant to this but we were ganging up on him and I could tell he was getting sick of it. It's not like I was swayed anything, or I didn't think I was, but Dean was right most of the time. Damn, maybe I was biased. I remember him mentioning the one night that if I didn't agree to pepperoni on the pizza I had to sleep in the bathtub.

"Yeah, alright. So, what do you wanna do?"

"I want you to go check out the heart attack guy. I'm gonna visit the reverend."

"What about me?" I asked.

"Forgot all about you." Dean smiled sexily and Sam rolled his eyes.

"I'll be in the car." He grimaced.

"Too bad you still don't have on that patient paper thin dress." I said toying with him.

Dean grinned pulling me towards him. "Real turn on hmm?"

I nodded slowly, kissing his chin and joking. "You have _no_ idea."

Dean ran his tongue along his teeth. "I need you to be my lookout then…I'll grab some for later."

It was the first time in three days I could laugh and not be worried about anything or what laid ahead.

0o0o0o0o

Dean didn't want me to go to Roy's with him. And he wouldn't tell me why. I wasn't satisfied with, "This is just something I have to do on my own."

I rolled my eyes. On his own. Like I didn't know he probably wanted to see if that woman, Dean called her Layla, at the tent. Maybe I was being overly stupid. But when you have a guy like Dean, where you know every girl within a five mile radius is practically drooling, you can't help but get a little jealous.

"Why are you giving me such a hard time about this?" Dean asked as I followed him out to his car.

"I'm not." I said and he gave me a disbelieving look.

"Yeah, you are." He opened the car door and I shook my head turning around to head back into the motel.

"Hey…" Dean said reaching to catch me before I left. He tugged on my arm and turned me around. "If this is about Layla, I told you I'm trying okay. Nothings going to happen I'm just going to ask Roy some questions alright? You gotta trust me, that's what people in a relationship do."

I nodded. He was right. If I didn't learn to trust him then how was he ever going to trust me? He smiled. "Now give me a kiss."

It was hard to be mad at him. He was a very well developed guy with the charm of a sixth grader with a major crush. It was annoying but he was adorable and something told me he knew that. I gave him a long kiss on the lips and he kissed me once more on the side of my head before he got in his car and drove to Roy's.

It was off to help Sam.

0o0o0o0o

We headed to a local gym in Nebraska. It was the last place the guy with the heart attack the nurse told us about was last seen alive.

"I'm telling you, he seemed healthy. Swam every day, didn't smoke. So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, bizarre." One of the guards told us.

"And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?" I asked. Maybe nothing was supernatural. Heart attacks did happen.

"Yeah, yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was after him." And that theory went right out the proverbial window. "But I mean there wasn't anything there."

Sam looked at me and I glanced up at the time. "Uh guy, you do know that your clocks busted?"

"Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'. Just froze at 4:17."

"Is that the same time Marshall died?" Sam asked. And the same time Dean was healed?

"How'd you know?" he looked surprised. Sam smiled slightly and shrugged.

Shit.

"Time warps can stop time."

I just looked at him. Was he just pulling these things out of his ass?

"You know what else stops time?" I asked him. He looked at me and shrugged. "Reapers." His eyes widened. Yeah, oh shit.

0o0o0o0o

I sat on the bed as Dean came into the room. Sam had been feeling guilty all the while when we got back to research. He was trying to find anything to pin what was happening on. Anything but a reaper. But Dean was smart, he would know what it was.

"What'd you find out?" Dean asked, taking his jacket off. He rolled up his long brown sleeves to his elbows.

"I'm sorry." Sam whispered. Dean looked at me and I just shook my head at the floor.

"Sorry about what?"

"Marshall Hall died at 4:17."

I was surprised he was saying it with a clear voice. I'm sure he was terrified that Dean would get angry. I knew I was.

Dean seemed more stunned than angry at the moment. "The exact time I was healed."

"I cross-checked people with the local obits. Time someone was healed, someone else died. And each time, the victim died of the same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time." Sam handed Dean a pile of research which Dean put on the table. He didn't need to look at a list of names for the information to sink in.

"Somehow. LeGrange—he's trading a life for another." I spoke up. It was a reaper whether Sam liked it or not.

"Wait, wait. So, Marshall Hall died to save me?" Dean asked. Knew that was the thing he was really angry at. Not Sam or Roy. It was that someone died, an innocent, paid for Dean's life.

"Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway. And someone else would've been healed." Sam tried. He was right but my mouth was staying shut.

Dean shook his head at Sam and me. "You never should've brought me here."

"Dean, he was just trying to save your life." I said sticking up for Sam. He had good intentions but the way that saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.

"But, Andy, some guy is dead now because of me." He said angrily.

"I didn't know." Sam said softly and Dean hesitated. I could tell he was processing and he ran a hand through his hair.

"The thing I don't understand is how is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?"

I told him how and who. So I let Dean do it instead. Sometimes it just took someone saying it a million of times before it sunk in.

"Something else is doing it for him. The old man I saw on stage. I didn't wanna believe it, but deep down I knew it."

"You knew what? What are you talking about?" Sam asked him.

"There's only one thing that can give and take life like that. We're dealing with a reaper."

For some reason when Dean said that it became a whole lot realer and Sam looked like he understood.

0o0o0o0o

"You really think it's _the_ Grim Reaper? Like, angel of death, collect your soul, the whole deal?"

I hadn't said anything since Dean had told Sam it was a reaper. But they didn't seem to notice, they were waist deep in research. Something just made me feel really off about this whole thing. Maybe I was just tuning in to what Dean was feeling before.

"Not _the_ Reaper, _a_ reaper." Dean corrected him. I shifted on the bed, readjusting my head on Dean's pillow.

"But you said you saw a dude in a suit." Sam said.

Could literally hear Dean's eye roll. "Well, what, do you think he should've been workin' the whole black robe thing? You said it yourself that the clock stopped, right? Reapers stop time. And you can only see 'em when they're comin' at you, which is why I could see it and you couldn't."

"There was this cross. I noticed it in the church tent, I knew I had seen it before." I could hear him shift through papers. "It must be how Roy's controlling the damn thing."

"So, Roy is using black magic to bind the reaper?" He paused and I'm guessing Sam was nodding. "Then we stop Roy."

I picked my head up for that one. "What do you mean stop him?" I asked.

"You know how." Dean said like it was obvious. Now I was sick.

"Wait, what the hell are you talking about, Dean? We can't kill Roy." Sam said looking up as Dean stood.

"Sam, the guy's playing God, he's deciding who lives and who dies, that's a monster in my book."

"No, we're not gonna kill a human being, Dean. We do that, we're no better than he is." I snapped and Dean looked at me surprised. I laid my head back down, extremely pissed. What the hell was his problem? Since when was killing a human part of our job?

Dean sighed and walked over to the bed. I could feel his weight press the bed down near my thighs but I wasn't turning over. "Okay, so we can't kill Roy, we can't kill death. Any bright ideas, people?"

"Okay, uh, if Roy is using some kind of black spell on the reaper, we've gotta figure out what it is. And how to break it." Sam said and flipped open his lap top to research the black spell thing.

Dean put a hand on my side and ran it up and down in a soothing motion. I flinched at first but then relaxed into it.

"You alright?"

I shook my head. "No."

He leaned over me and placed a kiss on my cheek. I shook him off my face but his weight still remained on me. "How could you say that?" I asked him. "Are you really that much of a monster?" I wasn't sugar coating it for him. Killing a person made you monster in my book, that's just the way it was.

"I just want to stop this from happening alright? Some innocent people are going to die because selfish people like me try and cheat death."

"Look its Sam and my fault. Not yours. And you didn't know." I sniffled, rubbing my face against the pillow.

He leaned closer and put an arm around my waist, pulling my back against his chest. "I got a little out of hand, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You kind of scared me." I said honestly.

He shook his head, leaving kisses along my neck and cheek. "I never meant to."

I nodded and turned into him. "I know." I yawned and shifted a little against him.

Dean wasn't exactly making it easy to stay awake. He started running his hand through my hair and putting it behind my shoulder. I couldn't help but fall asleep about three minutes after he started doing it.

0o0o0o0o

I heard the door unlock and looked up as Sam and Dean came in. Sam shut the door and turned to Dean.

"So Roy really believes?"

"I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing." Dean said sitting on the bed across from the one I was on.

"What's going on?" I asked sitting up on my elbows.

Dean smiled and moved to sit next to me. He kissed my head. "Hey sleepy head. How'd you sleep?"

I nodded. "Better than I have in a while, no nightmares or anything. What happened with Roy and his wife? And you left without me?"

I sat up and leaned against Dean. "Well you were sleeping pretty soundly and you know I wanted you to get some sleep for once."

"Well I'm rested now. What happened?"

"Well for one, we went to see if Roy was controlling the Reaper. And he's not, Sue Ann is. When we tried to stop her from healing Layla…" Sam hesitated and looked at Dean. It seemed to be a sore subject. "She called the cops out on us."

"Any good news?" I asked looking at the book in Sam's hands.

"I found this hidden in their library." He handed it to Dean and I looked over his shoulder. "It's ancient. Written by a priest who went dark side. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper. To cross the line like that, that preacher's wife. Black magic, murder. Evil."

I shrugged. "Desperate. According to what I've heard her husband was dying, she'd have done anything to save him. She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy."

Sam smirked. "Cheating death. Literally."

"Yeah, but Roy's alive, so why's she still using the spell?" I asked.

"Right. To force the reaper to kill people she thinks are immoral. She used it to attack a guy in the parking lot who was saying Roy was a fraud."

Dean shook his head putting the book on the nightstand. "God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work."

"So, you think we've gotta find the cross or destroy the altar?" I asked. I hoped I knew what I was talking about. I didn't exactly get all the first hand information.

"Maybe both?" Dean guessed. "Whatever we do, we better do it soon. Roy's healing Layla tonight."

Dean got up off the bed and I followed in suit going over to where our bags were. Sam went out to start the car and I slipped on some black jeans and a tight grey t-shirt.

"What's wrong with Layla?" I asked.

"Cancer." Dean answered quietly.

"Like my mom had?"

Dean turned and nodded. "Can't imagine what her mom is going thorough."

"I can, I went through the same thing even though I was only eight or nine." I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head at the memory. It was one of the many reasons I hated hospitals. I couldn't imagine what it was like though to have faith and hope in a healer to cure your daughter and for someone to stop it deliberately…it was just like a death sentence.

Dean held up my jean jacket so I could slip it on and held my hand on the way out to the car. I didn't know Layla but from what I'd heard from Dean she didn't deserve to die. Didn't deserve the cancer destroying her body. It was then I realized there were worse things in this world than monsters and demons and not even we could stop them.

0o0o0o0o

"That's Layla's car. She's already here." Dean said pointing out the back window of the Impala. Dean shook his head and sighed. I squeezed his forearm but he continued to look at her car. "You know, if Roy would have picked Layla instead of me, she'd be healed right now."

"Dean, don't." Sam warned. He didn't want him to blame himself. In all honestly there was nothing he could have done.

"And if she's not healed tonight, she's gonna die in a couple months." Dean continued.

I squeezed his forearm a bit harder until he looked at me. "What's happening to her is horrible. But, what are you gonna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself, Dean. You can't play God."

Dean didn't say anything but pried his arm from my hand and got out.

"Where's Sue Ann?" I asked looking inside the tent.

"House?" Sam guessed.

"Go find Sue Ann. I'll catch up." He motioned to me and Sam.

"What are you—?"

I saw him run around the side of the house and yell something about the fear of God. I rolled my eyes and Sam and I ducked as Dean came running back around with two cops behind him.

Sam and I found our way into the basement and found the alter. It was small but it had a ton of stuff on top. Along with blood red and black cloth it had candles, pentagrams, bones, herbs, anything that looked remotely evil and creepy was right on top. Along with a picture of Dean and there was an X on his face in blood.

"Uh oh." I said picking it up and showing Sam.

Suddenly a voice came from across the room on the steps to the cellar door. "I gave your brother life, and I can take it away."

Sue Ann the bitch from hell I presume. We turned and went to grab her but she was already up the stairs and locking the cellar door. "Sam, can't you see? The Lord chose me to reward the just and punish the wicked. And your brother is wicked. And he deserves to die just as Layla deserves to live. It's God's will."

Sam and I pushed on the cellar door but she must have barred it shut.

"Wait till you see what you deserve you bitch!" I yelled pushing as hard as I could on the door.

"Look over there!" Sam motioned to a small window and I looked at him.

"Sweetie, your thin but your as tall as a skyscraper. You'll never fit."

Sam nodded and pushed the boxes aside. He grabbed my waist and picked me up so I could open the window. "Yeah, but you will."

I opened it as far as it would go and tried to squeeze through the window. I groaned pushing my body through but I finally made it and rushed to the cellar door. I removed the pole keeping it closed and ran in the direction of the tent.

"Find Sue Ann!" I screamed to Sam. I was hell bent on finding Dean.

I found him near the parking lot. He was on his knees and gasping for breath.

I grabbed his face in both of my hands and tried to get him to look at me. He was gripping my shoulders tightly like if he didn't hold on he would start dying. But the color was draining from his face and soon the gasping became shallower and shallower.

"No..no.. you can't die on me Dean. Not again." I said angrily trying to make him sit up. With every gasp for breath he was sinking to the ground. I felt a plummeting feeling, like my heart was slowing and I knew it must be that the reaper was close. That he was touching Dean's face as I was.

I shook my head, small tears cascading down my face. This couldn't have been happening. Where the hell was Sam? Suddenly Dean gasped for breath and succeeded in taking air in this time. He collapsed against me and started breathing normally. I squeezed him tightly and he did the same, starting a coughing fit against my chest.

He straightened up a little and hugged me as tightly as he could. "I'm okay." He said, although it was strained.

"I thought you were dead." I said and he tried to stand, although he seemed a bit dizzy when he did so.

"Hasn't this hunt proven anything to you?" he asked. "I'm immortal apparently."

I couldn't help but laugh. Leave it to him to make an extremely stupid joke at the wrong time. I stood with him and hugged him around his waist and smiled putting his arms around me as well.

He was a sarcastic ass with an ego as big as whale, but I wouldn't want him any other way.

0o0o0o0

Sam had planned for Layla to come over and say goodbye to Dean. It was harmless and he assured me it was. I knew it was, but when it came to Dean as I said, it's hard to let another girl be around him. So I just went to grocery store to pick up a few things. Hell maybe even have a beer and give them sometime. He was just saying goodbye and I had to trust him. Even though he'd be red with jealousy if something like this ever happened to me. He'd be the first person to make the fact known that he didn't like the idea of me talking to a guy in the motel by myself. At least I was mostly quiet about my jealousy…he'd make sure everyone in the damn state would know about his own.

I came back maybe a half an hour after Sam said Dean was talking to Layla. I opened the door slowly to make sure I wasn't interrupting anything, but it was just Dean so I leaned against the door as I closed it.

Dean was sitting on the bed with his head in his one hand. I didn't even think he knew I had come in.

"You okay?" I asked. I placed the bags on the table. He didn't seemed startled by my question and he nodded slightly. I knew how guilty he had been feeling on this job. "Where's Sam?" I asked noticing Mr. Six Feet Tall wasn't in the room.

"He's out, giving us some time to ourselves." Dean said standing. He straightened his white t-shirt and started walking towards me; slow and sly movements in his steps.

"Really?" I asked a bit curious. "Where'd you send him?"

Dean grinned, reaching me. He put his hands around my waist and rubbed the skin above my shorts. "Grocery store."

I glanced at the bags and he leaned down to kiss my collar bone and I was starting to have trouble reaching for words. "But I just went to the store."

"I know." Dean said, his mischievousness finally paying off. I kissed him on the lips, throwing everything I could into it. My passion, my gratefulness, everything. I wanted him to know that I wouldn't have been anything if I would have lost him. But the way he was kissing me and the way his touch was comforting and loving, he already knew.

Dean pulled back, setting a small kiss on my nose. "But he doesn't know that."

I giggled as he lifted me by my waist and placed me on the bed. He kissed me again as he leaned down over top of me.

"You know, nearly dying…made me see all the things that are important to me in my life."

"Yeah?" I asked sitting up a bit. Out legs were tangled together and when I sat up our pelvises ended up touching. He placed a hand behind my ear and started running his fingers through my hair again. "Make you see all those half naked women at Hooters?" I joked.

Dean's face grew serious, which made me think I had said something wrong. But it softened as he cupped my face. "Made me see you." He leaned off of me and laid back on the bed. "And my car."

Way to ruin a moment Dean. I poked him in his ribs and laid down next to him. He put an arm around me and my head found a comfortable position between the crook of his arm and his chest.

"You're not getting laid tonight Dean. Nice try though." I could feel his grin.

"Least I get points for trying." He was raising his eyebrows as I leaned up to kiss him and he cupped my face again to pull me closer if that was even possible.

The kiss was getting deeper and passionate and I agreed with him. He was definitely gaining points.

0o0o0o0o

reviews are, as always, welcomed :D


	24. Chapter 23: Route 666 Part 1

thank you to all my reviewers who always say something on each chapter!

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 23: Route 666 Part 1

"You want to know what I was thinking?" I heard Dean whisper in my ear. I shook my head and rolled over, putting my head under the pillow. He was not allowed to be this playful at…I looked at the clock, four in the morning.

"That four AM is not the time to be thinking anything? Because you should be _sleeping_?" I grimaced, burying my head deeper into the comforter.

I could feel Dean shift and then all of a sudden his hands reached under me and I giggled slightly as his hands tickled my stomach. I jerked up and landed against him. He smiled, turning me over to lie on my back. He leaned over top of me and started to place kisses on my face, then my neck and on the skin above my tank top. He was not _allowed_ to do this to me so early in the morning.

"If I let you tell me what you were thinking can I go back to sleep?" I asked.

He kissed me and shook his head. "I have an idea." He whispered. He wasn't really getting to the point though. And it's not like I was even doing anything. _He_ was interrupting himself. Every so often he'd stop and leave a kiss somewhere on me. At one point it was my lips and then my nose, my forehead, my shoulder, my breasts…I wonder if he had any idea how warm I was getting just from this. I couldn't decide if it was embarrassing or not for him to feel how heated I was. He was after all right on top of me, he probably knew. That's why he kept doing it. "We should go out on a date, like normal couples do."

I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at him. "Seriously?" I didn't dislike the idea it just surprised me a little. Dean was always interested in his job and our job wasn't exactly pushing pencils at a cubicle. There were things that went bump in the night and we were the things that bumped back. It was as simple as that. So to hear Dean want something normal out of our not so normal life was unlike him.

He nodded and shifted back a little. "If you would want to. I mean, I know this life isn't exactly what you wanted it to be. And I don't know, I was thinking that one day you're going to wish we did something that everyone else has the chance to do. And it'll be too late."

I didn't think I ever heard Dean talk this much. Not that it bothered me. I liked when he was like this; thoughtful and romantic. So much so that I couldn't tell him no on the whole normal date thing. Having a normal date didn't bother me; I just hope he knew that it wasn't needed for me to love him.

"Yeah, I would love go on a date with you." I smiled because at that moment he seemed so happy.

Dean leaned down and kissed me, passion and love fueling the fire between our lips.

"Where would you want to go?" he asked me.

"You know where I would like you two go?" Sam asked us irritated. "_Outside_! Can't the bonding of you two happen when it's not 4:30 AM and when I'm very far away?"

I resisted the urge to giggle even though Dean laughed out loud. "Sorry Sam."

I turned over and wrapped my one arm around Dean and he pulled me closer. If we didn't get back to sleep, Sam had no problem throwing us outside. But maybe that wasn't such a bad idea…I happened to know that the backseat of the Impala was very comfortable.

0o00o0o0o

Something was ringing, obnoxiously loud. You'd think if something had the ability to ring that loud someone other than me would hear it. I looked up; the clock said eight AM and tried to figure out where the ringing was from. My eyes locked down on Dean's side of the bed, his phone was vibrating and ringing frantically next to him. I leaned over and grabbed it to look at who it was. I froze as 'Cassie' lit up the screen. Cassie…Cassie…where did I know that name? I shook my head as the realization came in my head. Right, Cassie. I was with Dean and his dad. We were working a job in Athens, Ohio, she was finishing up college…and Dean test drove her for a couple of weeks. I remember thinking she was never such a big deal…until she broke Dean's heart. We'd been hunting a Succubus but the only thing that I saw as an evil sex hussy was Cassie. What was she even doing calling Dean? After the phone call was done I checked the recent call list but she had only called once. And my heart sank as I saw the blinking at the top of the cell phone: there was a voicemail. I closed the phone and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

I turned on the water and let it reach something that could probably burn my skin. Eh, right now I wasn't into feeling much of anything. Hearing that phone ring and seeing the voicemail just made my stomach churn and all of a sudden I was getting a horrible headache. The hotter the water, the less I'd feel my skin crawl when I got out. Maybe I was just being overly paranoid. All I needed to do was ask Dean. If Dean cared about me, he'd tell me. End of story, or at least it should have ended there. I remember things getting confusing when Cassie was around. Not that Dean and I were even remotely interested in each other then, but I remember how different he was.

I was staring at the water and trying to figure out the best way to ask him when he came up behind me putting his arms around my midsection. I jumped slightly. He smiled, his head resting on my shoulder. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Don't you think the water's hot enough? Feels like a damn sauna in here."

I shrugged. "I feel like having really hot water this morning." I was commanding myself to be normal, to pretend it didn't really bother me. But I kept hearing the same thing play over and over in my head. What if he woke up, found the voicemail and didn't tell me? "I'll try and get a quick shower. I know how you hate not having any hot water."

Dean turned me around and played with the ends of my hair suggestively. "Why don't we both get in and save some hot water for Sam?"

I couldn't help but smile slowly. Live in this moment Andy, worry about Cassie later. "Right…because you're just so charitable towards your brother."

Dean smiled kissing me briefly. "I am today."

The words came out before I could stop them. "Why did Cassie call you?"

Dean's breath seemed to stutter and I could feel the grip around my waist loosen ever so slightly. This is what I wanted right? "You listened the voicemail?"

I shook my head turning to look at him. "No, the phone woke me and…"

"Is it your cell phone Andy? Because last time I checked, it was mine that was ringing. Which means whoever was calling was for me, not you." Why was he being so defensive and mean all of the sudden? Did I strike a nerve or something? Kind of hard to believe when he won't let you get three or more words out at a time.

"Look I don't want to fight okay? I was just wondering why she was calling. Why are you giving me such a hard time? You want me to trust you, but you won't tell me what's going on." I started to walk past him but he grabbed my arm stopping me on the spot.

"Her father was killed last night; she thinks it might be our kind of thing."

"Our kind of thing, as in _you _are her kind of thing?"

Dean looked at me quizzically. "Did that sentence even make sense to you?" Now that I thought about it; no not really. "Andy her dad died, it has nothing to do with me."

"And you just happen to be the first one she calls." I said quietly. "Look Dean I was there when she broke your heart remember?"

Dean smiled a small smile. "Yeah, I remember you wanted to go back and cap her full of rock salt."

For some reason I was touched that he'd remembered. Maybe that meant he knew I'd end up doing it if I saw her. "I still will."

Dean took hold of my shoulders and squeezed them tightly. "We're both wrong alright? You shouldn't have looked at my phone…" I tried to interrupt but he put a finger on my lips. "And I shouldn't have told her we could come without asking you first." He took his finger off my lips and I licked them out of habit. He tasted like cinnamon and soap. If that wasn't the weirdest combination I could have come up with….but surprisingly I hadn't tasted something that good in a long time. "Which means I will call her back and tell her we can't do it if you don't want to go."

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded. Damn it. This was good reverse psychology. He was laying the guilt on me and at the same time trying to make things right. No harm no foul, well at least for him. I shook my head. If my father would have just died I'd need someone, and who better that Dean Winchester?

I looked at the floor. "No…it'd be selfish of me to do that. She needs our help, let's give it to her."

Dean lifted my chin and kissed me softly. "And how many times do I have to remind you that I'm with _you_."

He shook his head like he was disappointed and left, closing the bathroom door quietly. I was afraid that one time or another I'd stop believing that, and he'd stop saying it to reassure me.

0o0o0o0o

The ride to Missouri was long but unfortunately not long enough. I was mentally preparing myself the whole drive for what may lay ahead. I trusted Dean and yet I didn't. I wanted to, more than anything but the guy spent his whole life stuck in a motel room with one girl or another. It was hard to break that I'm sure. Dean's whole purpose on hunts was to find girls he could take back to the motel. Sure he lived for hunting evil and protecting the innocent…blah, blah. But thinking with his downstairs brain almost always overcame the hero complex.

"Andy." Sam nudged me. "Where here."

"So soon?" I asked annoyingly.

Dean shot me a look as I got out of the car. "Behave. You said you'd try."

"I said I'd try not to tear her hair out, never said I'd try to behave." I muttered shutting the door.

We opened the door to the newsroom and walked in. I saw her before the guys did but I'm sure the 'Bimbo with Boobs' radar was beeping in Dean's head. Not a moment later Dean saw her and motioned us in her direction.

Cassie turned and smiled at Dean. She looked like she couldn't believe he was here. "Dean." She went up and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Cassie." Dean said coolly. There was an awkward silence after he pulled away and I swore at myself and stuck out my hand.

"Cassie, hey. Remember me?" I asked.

She shook her head and gave a blatant no. Oh yes, this was going to be _so_ much fun.

Dean motioned to Sam and then me. "This is my brother Sam and this is Andy." It hit me that Dean hadn't introduced me as his girlfriend and I wondered if he was trying to make a point. I didn't think it would have, but it hurt that Dean hadn't said that. Like I meant nothing, I was just another person filling the backseat of his car.

"Oh right, Andy… The girl who threatened to cap my ass I believe it was." Her voice was cold and somewhat amused. Like she didn't believe I'd actually do it.

I smiled slowly. "I'm sure you remember I had good reason."

"I'm sorry about your dad." Sam said breaking the tension strangling the three of us.

Cassie nodded sadly. "Yeah. Me, too." I wanted to feel bad for her; I knew what it felt like to loose a father. But I was not bonding with her. This was not sharing your feelings hour, they had freakin groups for that. "Why don't we head over to my house? We can talk about things there?"

Dean nodded. "Sure, that'll be great." I'm sure it would be.

"I have to wrap up a few more things so; I'll be out in a minute. You can follow my car."

We headed back to the Impala and Sam got in the backseat. I was about to crawl in next to him when Dean pulled me back and away from the car. "Ya know, you didn't have to be so rude to her in there. Of all people you should know how she feels right now."

"Why didn't you introduce me as your girlfriend?" I asked him flat out. Let's see if he could flat out lie to me.

"Andy, for the last time. This has nothing to do with me and her or you and me!" he was screaming now. His voice was trying to be low but I could tell Sam could hear us.

"Well apparently your right. It has nothing to do with you and me because you can't even tell her were dating!" I spat. "I'm walking to the motel."

"Do not walk away from this Andy." He said grabbing my arm for the second time today. "Can't we just…" he took a deep breath. "Calm down for second alright? I didn't tell her that you were my girlfriend because it's none of her business. She's not a part of my life anymore."

Or because he was still in love with her. "I'm still walking."

"It's freezing out." Dean said plainly.

"I don't care Dean. There's no way in hell I'm sitting there watching her flirt with you. I can't do it okay?"

He had to have known she was doing it. After all the times of flirting with women in bars he had to have known what signals looked like. He shook his head and looked to Sam.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "But maybe it is better if you walk back." He looked like he was having difficulties telling me that, like the words were caught in his throat and he wanted to cough.

I nodded as he came up to me, wrapping his leather jacket around me. I shook my head as tears pooled my eyes and he gave me a long kiss on the forehead.

"Call me when you make it to the motel? Okay?"

I turned and walked down the road to the motel. I was so deep in thought that halfway down the path I turned and bumped into someone. Before I knew what was happening the creep was hugging me. I screamed thinking I was getting attacked or kidnapped or something. But as the person pulled back the familiar gleam of blue eyes made my breath catch in my throat.

"Jason?"

0o0o0o0o

its short but its just a start for route 666, please tell me how you liked it so far.

THINGS YOU MAY BE WONDERING FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER:

Jason is Andy's old flame

CASSIE/DEAN will NOT happen.

how will Dean feel now that the situation is turned around? And Jason is now flirting with Andy?

will still stick to route 666 case (hunt) just no Dean/Cassie. EW never...

:D reviews are welcome.


	25. Chapter 24: Route 666 Part 2

thank you to all my reviewers who always say something on each chapter! please review, its why i write. enjoy! :D

also disclamier: i don't own any of the songs i mentioned in this chapter. but awesome songs though, you should give them a listen :D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 24: Route 666 Part 2

"Jason?" I asked blindsided. Where the hell did he come from? I hadn't seen Jason in years. He was as tall and muscular as I'd remembered and wearing lighter jeans and a white long sleeved polo just accentuated that thought. His blond hair stuck up in spikes like Dean's and he cocked his head to the side, smiling slightly.

"You're a sight for sore eyes Andy." If Dean and Sam's voice could be combined that's what Jason's voice reminded me of. Kind of like the best of both worlds. Damn, I had to focus on not falling for this guy. I was with Dean. Dean. Right? I mean just because we were fighting didn't mean we were over. Right, so _not_ thinking about that right now.

"Yeah well you're lucky I didn't throw a punch. Otherwise your eye would both be sore _and_ black and blue."

He smiled. "Right, before or after you screamed bloody murder?"

"Shut up." I said, punching his right arm.

I heard running down the road and turned to see Dean and Sam bolting down the street towards me. Damn, Dean was running so fast he almost ran into me.

"Andy, you okay?" he asked a bit breathless. I wasn't sure if it was from the run or because he was worried.

"I'm fine." I said shortly. I wasn't letting him swoon me this time. Maybe that was my problem, one sweet kiss or loving remark from Dean and I was head over heels. "It's this jerk's fault."

Jason shrugged. "You scare easily, it's not my fault."

It looked like Dean hadn't even noticed he was there. He did now though and he looked between us both like we were up to some top secret plan. "Mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Was that something like irritation I sensed in his voice?

"Oh right, Dean, Sam, this is my ex boyfriend Jason Bey." If looks could kill, Jason would be a ghost by now.

Jason stuck out his hand to shake Dean's. "Pleasure." He said.

Dean just looked at it for moment. I wish I could have had a stopwatch or something. But from observation it only took him exactly ten seconds for him to be in full jealousy mode. He took Jason's hand and shook it lightly. "It's all yours pal, believe me."

My eyes widened a little. Dean wanted me to be nice to Cassie, but here he was unleashing his resentment on Jason. Oh how the tables were turning.

"It's nice to meet you." Sam said now sticking out his own hand. Thank God for Sam. He was the only damn civil thing between all the tension. "What are you doing in Missouri?"

I now looked at Jason. Right, what was he doing here? "Yeah, last time I checked you lived in San Francisco."

"Should have checked more often." Jason said smiling. I could literally feel Dean growing tense beside me. "I'm here for a family reunion."

"Long way for just a reunion." Dean said. He sounded like he could have bitten Jason's head off.

Jason shrugged. "Yeah well you can't pick your family so, I have to go. Plus, my brother's back from the Army and this'll be the first time people have seen him in months."

"I'm glad Chris got back okay." I said. "He stopped emailing me after the first few months."

Jason shrugged. "Well I told him I wasn't seeing you anymore so…"

"Made me out to be the bad guy didn't you?" I asked. I gave him a smirk and shook my head.

Jason ran a hand through his hair. "No, it was my fault. We both know that."

Dean nodded, making a clicking noise with his tongue hitting the roof of his mouth. "Well I don't doubt that."

I stepped on his foot, hard. He moved his foot and shifted to lean on the other. He glanced at me and shrugged nonchalantly. Was I supposed to just deal with this?

"You should come if you're not doing anything. I know my mom would love to see you." Jason said making me smile.

"She did give me an apple pie the last time I saw her." I said nodding. "And what is better than pie?"

Jason shrugged and motioned to his car and I was about the follow when Dean grabbed my arm turning me around. "Give me a second mama's boy; I have to talk to Andy." He said pulling me away.

"Sorry Jason, one second." I smiled sweetly and Jason turned to get in his car. "What the hell is your problem Dean? You got your wish I'm not going to Cassie's house."

"Well I don't want you going with him." Dean said simply.

I shrugged his arm off. "You didn't want me to go with you; you don't want me to go with him. What the hell am I supposed to do Dean, sit right here and knit?"

Dean nodded his head to the side. "Could use a nice sweater, something in the olive green family."

I wondered if he could sense how much I wanted to hit him right now. I could see that Sam was standing behind me, shifting on his feet not knowing what to say or do. I felt bad he had to be around this all the time. We were either disgustingly cute or annoyingly upset. Either way I'm sure it was hard to put up with.

"Unless you give me a really good reason, I'm going with Jason." I put my foot down. I was daring him basically, daring him to tell me he was jealous.

Dean just shook his head and motioned to Jason's car. "Do whatever the hell you want Andy. I'm not going to stop you."

He turned to head back up the road and it was my turn to stop him. "You're unbelievable you know that?" Although, I'm sure he did, in ways more than one. "You want me to trust you, but you can't do the same in return?"

"I never said that."

"You never had to." I said softly. I gave him his jacket back and he looked at me for a moment, then turned and headed up the road to his car. Where I was sure Cassie was waiting. I turned to Sam and he put a hand on my shoulder.

"You alright?"

I nodded. "Yeah, look um; call me if you find out anything okay? I still want to be included in the hunt and everything." He squeezed my shoulder in affirmation and went to follow where Dean had gone.

I wanted to tell him to watch Dean, make sure he didn't do anything stupid or that he'd regret just because he was angry. Although, it wasn't up to Sam to stop him, it was up to Dean not to do anything in the first place.

0o0o0o0o

The ride to where Jason's reunion was pretty much filled with catching up. He told me how his family was and about college life in San Francisco and I lied about pretty much everything I had done up to the moment I ran into him in the parking lot. I just had to make sure to pay attention to the story I was giving him. It was hard to remember sometimes what the truth to the story was. I've told versions of my life to many different people in so many different ways. This time I was on a road trip with Dean and Sam. It seemed pretty simple; I just had to remember some of the details in case one of his family members asked.

"So… Dean. Does he get that territorial with everyone or am I just lucky?" Jason asked turning into the parking lot of this large Bingo Hall. Or at least it looked like a Bingo Hall.

I laughed slightly. "Let's just say that you're lucky that Dean doesn't have rabies."

Jason laughed getting out of the car. He ran to my side to open it for me before I could. "So he usually bites everyone's head off when he meets them? Or is it just males who happen to know you?"

I shrugged as he shut the car door. "Know me or don't know me, Dean has his fair share of not caring about either one. This one time we went to a bar and this really one drunk guy was hitting on me. Basically by the end of the night he tried handling me out the door and Dean banged his head off a bar stool."

Jason winced in sympathy. "Very protective I see."

"Well Dean's been through a lot and he's lost a lot of people. I'm not surprised really."

"No, I mean protective of you."

I nodded and shrugged. "My sentence still applies." I said smiling. I knew what he was trying to get at. Dean was protective of me because he _loved_ me. That's what Jason was trying to point out but I didn't want to talk about that. Not now.

Jason must have sensed that, or figured I didn't know what he was talking about and let it go. We headed to the front door and Jason opened it for me. The room was huge with maybe thirty tables filling it. There was a buffet line near the open bar and streamer lights were decorating the walls. A woman with shoulder length brown hair came towards him giving him a big hug. I hadn't seen Mrs. Bey in years but I instantly knew it was her. She hadn't changed one bit. She turned to me and smiled.

"Why Andy is that you honey?" she asked with a smile. I nodded meekly. She gave me a big hug and she smelled like baked chocolate chip cookies. "I haven't seen you in forever." She pulled back and ran a hand down my hair. "You're still as beautiful as I remember."

"Mom…" Jason said as if the compliment embarrassed him.

I smiled. "It's nice to see you again Mrs. Bey."

"Call me Amy, I told you that the last time I saw you. How bout some pie?"

I giggled a little as Jason rolled his eyes. But it was lovingly, not a bit sarcastic or snarky. Which reminded me of someone else I knew…

"The buffet just got put out?" Jason asked and Mrs. Bey waved a hand at him.

"What no one knows won't fill anyone with pie jealousy. I'll just sneak on over to the dessert table and grab you some."

I smiled. "That'll be great Amy."

She grinned that I called her by her first name and went off to the desert table. Jason leaned in close to my ear and whispered. "To think my mother loves you more than she loves me…"

"Apparently she does, because I get pie before dinner." I raised my eyebrows at him and he shook his head and smiled.

"Which you know you'll be sharing with me."

We found a table and Mrs. Bey brought me over a plate of pie which Jason instantly took some whip cream off of with his finger. I handed him a fork and took a bite.

"Your pies are amazing as I remember Amy." I said smiling. She took the seat across from us and watched us.

"Where have you been all this time Andy?" Mrs. Bey asked. Jason turned to look at me. I hadn't told him that. Just where I was now.

"Everywhere really. When I met Jason I was on the road with John and Dean." She looked at the table; I'm guessing trying to place the names. "Winchester." I filled in for her. She hadn't met any of them, just like Jason hadn't. When we got older Dean and I were allowed to do hunts on our own and I got dropped of in San Francisco to hunt a banshee. Needless to say I found more than a heartbroken wailer. "I had been on a road trip to see Sam, Dean's brother, he got into Stanford." So it wasn't that much of a lie.

"Well good for him, Stanford's a really great school. Jason applied there, what does Sam want to do with his life?"

"He wanted to become a lawyer."

Jason put his fork down and sat back in his chair. "But he was with you guys today, why isn't he back at school?"

I realized there were a lot of things in my life I had to lie about. It made me grateful for Sam and Dean. I could tell them everything. "A lot of stuff just happened. It's hard to explain."

"And none of our business." Mrs. Bey said quietly, closing the conversation.

My phone started ringing and I reached in my pocket and saw it was Sam. "Excuse me, I have to take this."

Jason nodded and I went over near the bathrooms. The music wasn't playing as loud there and I could have a little more privacy that way. Nothing like talking about demons and witches to get yourself looked at like you belong in a straight jacket.

"Hey." I said opening the phone. "What'd you guys find out?"

"Apparently, Cassie's father and one other person were wreaked in their cars. Big dents but no tracks." Sam said.

"So I'm guessing the police are just pushing it off as losing control of the car."

"Yeah…hold on Andy." I'm guessing he pulled the phone away from his ear but I could still hear him. "Come on Dean; stop acting like a freakin' four year old, turn down the music."

I heard Dean chuckle rudely and say okay. But not a moment later 'Walk Away' by James Gang turned up in full blast. I had to take the phone away from my ear it was so loud. I could see Dean was taking this whole jealously thing real well. Finally the music stopped and I put the phone back up near my ear.

I heard Sam sigh angrily. "Sorry, as I was saying it seems to be a vanishing truck?" I heard the skepticism in his voice.

"Never heard of that before, doesn't even sound like folklore ya know? Could be a spirit."

"That's all we have for now. How's the reunion?"

"Yeah, the apple pie freakin worth it?" I heard Dean swear under his breath and did he just bang on the steering wheel? I chuckled at the irony; Sam must have turned the phone on speaker without Dean realizing.

"Yeah, it's great. I forgot how nice his mom was." I said, missing my own mother. I knew the guys must have been feeling the same way. "I'll be back at the motel before midnight. We'll talk then?"

"Alright, talk then."

Before Sam hung up the phone I heard Dean swear again and mention something about how _he _could make the best damn apple pie I'd ever taste. I laughed out loud closing my phone. Right, he wasn't jealous at all.

0o0o0o0o

After dancing, very embarrassingly I might add and having more pie, Jason took me back to the motel.

"I had a great night." He said smiling. "Although, you may not want to dance by smashing your feet into mine next time."

"It's a new dance move, it'll catch on you'll see."

He shrugged and turned off the engine. "Listen Andy, I know it didn't work out the last time but…" He reached over and grabbed my hand. "Maybe we can make it work. If you're still interested."

My mouth hung open for a moment, air caught in my throat. I should have known this was going to happen and I felt bad that I might have led him on. "Jason, I'm with Dean."

He pulled his hand back almost instantly. "Oh, how embarrassing for me." He chuckled, trying to find something to do with his hands now.

"Believe me, you're not the only one embarrassed. I'm sorry I should have told you first thing."

"It's just, you didn't seem to mention him a lot and I don't know I thought after a while that the whole protectiveness thing might have been a bug brother action."

"To be honest with you, we had just had a fight and I didn't want to be near him so…" His face filled with disappointment and I stumbled trying to grab back the words. "I mean, I'm glad I ran into you and I probably would have gone to the reunion anyway. I just mean I didn't mention him because I was upset."

He nodded and patted the steering wheel. "I get it. He's a lucky guy ya know."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure. He seems to be aware of everything else he is." Cocky, handsome, horny, adorable, hilarious…

Jason put a hand on mine again and drew me away from my thoughts. "I'm serious. If he doesn't now how lucky he is, you shouldn't be with him."

I smiled sweetly. "Thanks. You still have my number? Maybe we can all hang out sometime. We travel everywhere, maybe one day I'll end up in San Francisco."

He nodded. "I still have it, never got rid of it."

I opened the door and poked my head in. "Okay, I'll see you around then? I had a great time."

Jason smiled as I closed the door. "Me too."

0o0o0o0o

"Hey." I said opening the door to the motel. Dean was on the bed with _my_ iPod on his chest and Sam was sitting in the chair on his laptop. Dean quickly pulled the earphones from his ears and put my iPod on the nightstand. I rolled my eyes, like I hadn't seen him do it.

I shut the door and sat on the bed across from Sam. "Find out anything?"

Sam shook his head no. "Nothing about a disappearing truck anywhere, even if it was a spirit I can't connect it with a truck."

I nodded. "I know what you mean; we'll just have to wait until more information pops up."

"Apple pie good and everything?" Dean asked me roughly. "Taste as good as it looked?"

I looked at him slowly and took a shallow breath. "You trying to imply something Dean?"

Dean leaned up and gave me a long look. "Do I need to imply something?" He asked me, his voice mocking mine.

"Children, do I need to separate you two?" Sam asked tiredly.

We ignored him, naturally. It usually took us screaming our heads off for him to separate us. So he'd have to wait till then.

"You're jealous Dean. Just say it alright? Because this kindergarten crap is not appealing."

"Really, Cassie finds it quite adorable." Dean said smirking.

I shook my head and went into the bathroom slamming the door. I sat against the tub and brought my knees up to my chest. I was not coming out the bathroom; they could both have bladder explosions for all I cared. Nothing happened for at least an hour. I heard shuffling outside the door, like someone wanted to knock but didn't and finally someone did.

"Andy, its Sam. Can I come in?" I shook my head angrily. Dean was basically using Sam as a peace offering. He'd come in here; tell me how sorry Dean was and what was I supposed to do, just go on like normal?

"No." I said firmly.

Sam sighed. "Come on Andy. You really going to let Cassie get the better of you like this?"

I got up and opened the door a crack, so I could just see Sam's face. "You mean to tell me that Dean didn't flirt with her the entire time he was there? That she didn't flirt with him?"

Sam shook his head. "No Andy, not once."

I opened the door a bit wider now, to see Dean wasn't in the room. "Where is he?"

Sam shrugged. "He was upset you wouldn't open the door, I think he's out in his car."

I nodded and went out and down the stairs to the Impala. He was leaning back in the drivers seat, eyes closed, music blaring. As I walked closer, the familiar tunes of 'Orange Sky' filled my ears. He was listing to my mix tape. I shook my head and sighed coming closer to the window.

"Who knew you'd have the jones for Alexi Murdoch." I said surprising him. He sat straight up and wiped his chin for nonexistent drool. He turned down the song, but didn't turn it off.

"Yeah well, my tapes seem to be missing." He said fixing the seat. His first mistake. I glanced behind his seat.

"Your box of cassette tapes is right behind your seat Dean, where you usually put them."

He scoffed like he hadn't known that and got out of the car. I smiled slightly and stepped back as he shut the door. "You alright? I figured you were going to be in the bathroom all night."

"Nah." I said kicking the rocks slightly with my one foot. "Sam got me out, although I think he just really wanted the shower."

Dean smiled slightly and stuck his hands in his front pockets as he leaned against the car door. His biceps flared when he did so and it made it look like they were about to bust loose from his shirt. He cleared his throat. "You were right Andy. I should've introduced you as my girlfriend. Honestly, I don't know why that wasn't the first thing I did."

"Cause you're ashamed of me." I said jokingly, but Dean wasn't laughing.

Dean's face was sympathetic, like he had actually made me feel that way. "I'm not ashamed of you Andy. I'd _never_ be ashamed of you." He said firmly. "It's just this whole job it hurts everyone I love. And it's like if I don't say anything out loud, then you won't get hurt."

I nodded. I could understand that. But trying to protect me was something he could only do for so long. "Ya know, Jason said something to me tonight that really made me think."

"What?" he asked.

"That if you didn't know how lucky you were you have me, than I shouldn't be with you." I could see his muscles tensing again and I could tell he wanted to find Jason and tell him everything he damn well _did_ know. I turned away from Dean and sighed. "And it just made me think of how lucky I was to have you." I shook my head.

I felt him come up behind me and turn me around. "Ya know, this whole day gave me a lot of time to think and it's funny you bring that up. Jason's right about one thing and one thing only."

He was definitely a guy to keep you on your toes. "And that would be?"

"That I'm one hell of a lucky guy." He smiled cockily and I grinned as he pushed his lips on mine. The kiss was soft and gentle and his hands came up to cup my face. I snaked my arms round his waist and pulled him against me.

He backed up against the car door and tried to pull it open. Finally succeeding, we collapsed against the seats. Dean pulled back momentarily. "Andy, you know I can make freakin awesome apple pie right?"

I laughed. "Dean, at this moment, I couldn't care less what pie you could make."

Ten to one he wasn't really thinking about pie either when our lips meshed again.

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

the end of the case.

dean/andy date

there's something off about jason...


	26. Chapter 25: Route 666 Part 3

PLEASE TAKE NOTE: i changed the rating. there is sex in this chapter. if you are not comfortable with this, skip through the small section when you come to a bold

**0o0o0o0o0**

after that it is clean. i'm sorry if you do not approve but hello, it is Dean. and its just one small part.

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 25: Route 666 Part 3

"For the last time has anyone seen my blue polo?" Dean asked flipping through the items in the suitcase. Sam and I stood back as tees and boxers filled the air from Dean's rampaging.

"For the last time no Dean." I said placing my coffee cup in the sink. Honestly, I hid it in the bathroom. The one he was looking for was slightly smaller than his others and I had every intention on wearing it. Plus, the guy was searching so hard for the polo that he hadn't put on a tee- shirt yet. So there he was, bare chested, looking for a shirt…and I was going to be the last one to give him it.

"Just pick a different shirt Dean; we need to head over to Cassie's."

Dean looked distressed. Like he had lost an arm instead of a shirt. I couldn't help but smile and smirk at his predicament, he must have caught it because his eyes looked right at me. His face grew serious and he but the bag on the floor. "You did something didn't you?"

For some reason I couldn't not laugh at his face. His face was car wreck serious over a _shirt_. I just shook my head and he cleared his throat. He suddenly bolted from around the bed after me and I squealed as I avoided him grabbing me. I ran into the bathroom as fast as I could but he caught up to me and shoved into the bathroom as well. He slammed the door shut and grabbed me by the waist. I moved into his touch and he landed against the closed bathroom door. I turned and placed my hands over his chest and he put his arms around me tightly. He felt so warm and soft; I never wanted to stop touching him. I pushed my lips against his and his hands found their way into my hair and breaching into my shorts near my sides.

Sam knocked on the door but that didn't stop one damn thing. "I can _hear_ you ya know. And I know you're not looking for a damn shirt."

"I don't know about you Sammy." Dean said pulling back, he was a bit breathless. "But I'll be looking for shirts like this from now on."

I pulled back and went to the mirror to put my hair in a braid. The room felt smaller all of a sudden and I shook off the feeling of claustrophobia. I reached for a hair tie and pulled my long brown locks back. Dean came up behind me and snaked his arms around my waist, gingerly placing kisses on my shoulders.

"I think tonight, we should hide some of your shirts." He raised his eyebrows and I turned around to face him.

I ran my top teeth against my bottom lip. "Maybe…" I sucked in a little air. "we could hide my clothes all together…"

Dean pulled back and looked at me a moment, like he couldn't judge if I was serious. "You mean…?"

I shrugged. I felt awkward all of a sudden. "I don't know, maybe…if I'm ready."

Dean smiled slightly. "I don't want you to do this if your not. Don't think you have to."

He was right I didn't have to and I knew he would wait. I mean it wasn't like I hadn't had sex before; I just wanted it to be special with him. And there was this voice in the back of my head that kept nagging me. Like I wouldn't mean anything to him after the fact, like all the girls never meant anything to him. I couldn't bear that. I wasn't afraid of him, I was afraid of becoming all of the other girls.

"No I want to. I just want to make sure its special." I said picking up his shirt from off the floor. It sounded way stupid and meek coming from my mouth. Why can't things come out like they sounded in my head?

"It will be, and you know why?" Dean asked, lifting the shirt over his head.

I shook my head, expecting some wise ass comment about how he was a god. "Why?"

He took my hands and kissed my cheek. "Because you're special."

He opened the door and smiled as he closed it and I leaned against the sink, a smile plastered on my face and a warm feeling shooting through my system. If he kept saying stuff like that I wouldn't make it past our date.

0o0o0o0o0o

We were on our way to Cassie's when an accident stopped us altogether.

"The hell?" Dean stated pulling over.

It looked like it was another disappearing truck accident. "There's Cassie over there." I said pointing over to my left. I adjusted my coat and got out with the boys. I had no idea how they weren't freezing. They had on polo's and jackets. They were heavier, but not as thick as they should have been. There was snow on the ground and they were calling for more snow this afternoon. I shook my head, bundling up. They were worse than me sometimes.

We overheard some of the conversation as we were walking up. Something about how accidents happened and there was nothing anyone could do about it. I hated Cassie for one, but she was losing people left and right and this guy was just being an asshole.

"Did the cops check for additional denting on Jimmy's car? See if it was pushed?" Dean asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Who's this?" The man asked rudely.

"Dean and Sam Winchester and Andy…something." She muttered.

"Core." Dean interrupted. And Cassie looked at him slowly.

"Family friends." She continued. "This is Mayor Harold Todd."

"So, one set of tire tracks—one—doesn't point to foul play."

I looked at the tracks leading from the car and listened to what Cassie was saying.

"Mayor, the police and town officials take their cues from you. If you're indifferent about—"

"Indifferent?" The mayor stated. Wow, this was about to get very awkward.

"Would you close the road if the victims were white?" Cassie asked, putting her hands on her hips.

He looked offended and I didn't blame him. Just because he was doing his job didn't necessarily mean he was a racist. But I kept my mouth shut; I didn't know the history between these two.

"You're suggesting I'm racist, Cassie? I'm the last person you should talk to like that." He said harshly.

"And why is that?"

"Why don't you ask your mother?" he said walking away.

Cassie looked down hurt. "Are you alright?" I asked her. Nice. Be nice, Andy. I was trying to do what Dean wanted me to but she looked up at me like I had seven eyes.

"Okay," Sam said breaking off her sentence before it could be said. "Where could we find some of Jimmy's friends?"

Cassie sniffled. "Um, they usually hang out down by the docks. Why? Do you think they could know anything about what happened to Jimmy?"

Sam shrugged. "It's our best lead right now. You have a name?"

"Ron Stubbins." She said clearing her throat.

Sam nodded and motioned to the car. I started to walk towards it when Dean pulled me back. I looked at him questioningly as he set me to stand next to him.

"Cassie, this is my girlfriend Andy." Dean said taking my hand. "I meant to say something the other day." His tone was almost apologetic. Like if he would have said something earlier an incident wouldn't have happened.

Cassie seemed to stand up straighter and she gave me a once over. I raised my eyebrows slightly. Was she seriously looking at me that disapprovingly? She stuck out her hand, and the motioned surprised me. "Andy Core?" she asked, remembering the last name Dean had said.

I nodded. "That's right." I took her hand and shook it.

"When did you two happen?"

"Not too long ago, maybe a few months back."

Dean nodded, squeezing my hand. "Around her birthday."

"What a birthday present." Cassie said somewhat sardonically.

I didn't know what could have made that moment more awkward. I shifted on my feet and after a moment Dean let out breath, which puffed from his mouth like cigarette smoke.

"Okay, awkward. We'll see you later Cassie." Dean said, now pulling me towards the car.

"I think that went rather well." I said sarcastically.

Dean nodded and kissed me on the lips. "It would have been better if I would have just told her first hand."

That probably wouldn't have been better. I could see her being even angrier than we had left her right then. Because I knew what it was like to have feelings for Dean, and I could imagine what it was like for another girl to steal his heart. The feeling wasn't great and I snuggled next to him in the back of the Impala. I hoped all I ever had to do was imagine what that felt like.

0o0o0o0o

The guys dressed up in their suits as fake insurance collectors and I refused to put my thin woman suit on. It was thirty below zero. I refused to wear a thin blouse and pants just to be an insurance collector.

"Why don't you head back to the crash. Cops gotta be gone by now. Give it a once over with an EMF." Sam said slipping his tie through his shirt.

"Still in the trunk and everything?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, drop us off at the dock and then go check it out."

I nodded, slipping on some jeans and even sweatpants over top. I didn't care how ridiculous it looked. At least I'd be warm. I shook my head. "Damn it, I'm freezing. How cold does a motel room have to be before you can report it?"

"Below zero." Dean said from across the room, now fixing his own tie in front of a mirror.

"Is it below zero in here?" I asked.

Dean smiled. "No Andy."

I sat on the bed and rubbed my hands over my arms. "It's not freezing." Sam said handing me a blanket so I could take it in the car with me.

"Could have fooled me. Is it just me or isn't it that why they created heating? So it's not the same temperature inside as it is outside?"

I knew I was whining but I didn't care. The guys _never_ got cold. They could have been naked in thirty below weather and they wouldn't even turn blue. I rolled my eyes as Dean came towards me and pulled me up off the bed. He wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and pulled me towards him.

"How bout after we talk to these guys, we come back here and I can warm you up?" Dean asked raising his eyebrows at me.

"Well what did you have in mind Winchester?"

Dean leaned in and kissed my neck, whispering things in my ear. I could see Sam's disgusted face from across the room and I giggled.

"Okay, brother in the room. Stop…" Sam shook his head, letting out a groan.

"You know where the door is." Dean said making Sam come towards him and pull on the back of his jacket. He pulled him all the way over to the door.

"Come on Casanova."

Dean grinned at me and I followed them out to the Impala. I left the blanket on the bed, I was already warm from Dean's whisperings.

0o0o0o0o

I dropped them off at the dock to talk to Jimmy's friends and I headed back to the crime scene. I parked the Impala a few minutes away and trekked over to the crime scene. It was sad that an accident had happened here. It looked like a nice area. A nice area to be in around summertime. There was a lot of grassy hills and trees and I think a river was around here somewhere beyond the woods. I glanced one more time to make sure there was no one around and headed under the yellow caution tape to look at the car. I pulled out the EMF and turned it on.

"You shouldn't be here."

I gasped turning around. It was Cassie and she looked pissed. Apparently I had no idea how to make sure _no one_ was around. "Yeah, well look around. You shouldn't be here either." I said pointedly.

I shook my head turning around. The EMF wasn't even peeking past the lowest marker. I moved around the car but nothing.

"So you know what kind of things Dean and Sam do?" Cassie asked me.

I nodded and looked at her. "Well obviously, I'm traveling—wait a minute. You know what they do?"

She smiled slightly and I felt like knocking her teeth out. Good for her, she knew a secret _I_ had known for years. "Dean told me all about it when we were together."

I rolled my eyes. Of course he did, anything to get into a girl's pants. If we weren't astronauts we were curing cancer for the UN. It kind of bothered me he had told her the secret, the big family rule #1. We do what we do and we shut up about it.

"He told you everything?"

She nodded and cocked her head to the side. "What he didn't tell you that he told me?"

"You know, this whole bitch attitude you have with me. It's not very appealing to the naked eye." I said putting the EMF closer to the ground. Maybe the tracks would pick up something. "Is that why you dumped him? Because he was being honest?"

Her expression dropped and she looked at the ground as I stood up straight. "I just...I thought he was trying to break up with me. Very lamely trying."

"Believe me sweetie, if he breaking up with you, he wouldn't have used that."

I walked past her to get to the Impala. "You're a lucky girl." Cassie said making me turn around. Did my ears deceive me? Did she just say something nice?

She didn't need to tell me that. I knew how lucky I was. I knew every time he touched me. But it was something nice and I just nodded politely. "Yeah I know. Thanks."

Cassie nodded as well and moved some hair away from her eyes. I turned back to the car and started it. I headed to the dock to pick up my guys.

0o0o0o0o

I parked the car near the dock and got out to meet the guys. I could see them standing at the end of the dock still talking to men at the table, one of Jimmy's friends I presumed. I backed back up near the car and decided it wasn't best to disturb them. There was boats in the water on one side of the dock and I waited there for them. They couldn't see the car from where they were and I would need to walk them to it. I tried to determine what kind of boat it was because I remember my dad was interested in boats. He tried showing me different models and such when I was little. I overheard them talking and they were walking back. They stopped suddenly and Dean turned around to look at Sam. I hesitated and heard Sam mention something.

"Oh, and you might also want to mention that other thing."

"What other thing?" Dean was asking.

"The serious unfinished business. Dean, what is going on between you two?" What was Sam even talking about. Between Dean and Cassie?

"Alright, so maybe we were a little bit more involved than I said." Dean said. "And I told her the secret about what we do, and I shouldn't have. It doesn't matter, I'm different now. I'm with Andy if you haven't noticed."

"I've noticed, believe me you make it obnoxiously clear. But deny it all you want Dean. You loved Cassie."

"Oh, God." Dean said but didn't deny it. I mean Sam wasn't right, he couldn't have been. I'd known Dean all his life and now I was with him, and he had never told me he had loved me. He'd been with Cassie, what, a month total and he had loved her?

"You were in love with her, but you dumped her." Dean just looked at him and shook his head. "Oh, wow. She dumped you."

"Just shut up alright?" Dean snapped. Apparently the wound wasn't as healed as I thought it had been.

I didn't know whether I should have made my existence known or anything but the choice was made for me when Sam looked in my direction.

"Andy?"

Dean's head snapped in my direction. Holy awkward. I cleared my throat and walked towards them. "I was um, just waiting for you guys…looking at the boat." I let out a short laugh, although it was really forced.

"Andy…" Dean tried and I shook my head, cutting him off.

"There was nothing at the scene. Um, the EMF needle didn't even budge. The car's up there." I pointed past the end of the dock and went to walk towards it. I handed Sam the keys as he walked past me and Dean grabbed my arm, turning me around, ready to explain.

I just shook my head, small tears making their way down my face. Dean's face scrunched up in sympathy and guilt.

"Andy, baby, I'm so sorry." He said it softly but it felt like it was going to make my ears explode.

I nodded, I knew everything was different now. That he was different. But it still struck my heart like a hot poker and I couldn't stop the tears from building up, clouding my vision.

"That was a long, long time ago. And I never felt for her the way I feel about you." He said trying to move the tears off my cheeks with his thumb. The tears were freezing against my face in the cold air and his hand was warm against my face.

It wasn't that I was mad at him, or at least I didn't think I was. I upset that I was letting myself fall for him and he couldn't even tell me he loved me. Give it time right? We basically knew each other all our lives, how much time did we need?

I pulled away from his touch. "I'm sorry, you know what I'm fine." I said wiping away my own tears.

Dean nodded and rubbed his hands together. "You lie horribly."

I tried laughing again and sniffled. Dean came closer and kissed me on the lips. I think he was trying to judge if I was really okay or not. But I didn't pull away or flinch, like I think he thought I was going to do.

"Are you…I mean, you still up for the whole date thing?" Dean asked meekly. He probably felt like he was on thin ice anyway so why not ask.

"I don't want anything else." I said honestly. He smiled slightly and took my hand as we walked to the car. I seriously did want to go on the date because then he could really prove to me that what he felt for Cassie was far behind him.

0o0o0o0o

We came across another crash on the way back to the motel. Sam headed out to talk to one of the cops as Dean and I looked around the area and tried the EMF again. And again nothing.

"So, what happened?" I asked as we came up to stand next to Sam.

"Every bone crushed. Internal organs turned to pudding. The cops are all stumped, but it's almost like something ran him over." I made a face and looked away for moment.

"Something like a truck?" Dean asked.

"Yep."

"Tracks?" Sam shook his head and Dean sighed. "What was the mayor doing here anyway?"

"He owned the property. Bought it a few weeks ago." Sam said.

I looked up, realizing something. "Yeah, but he's white. He doesn't fit the pattern."

"Killings didn't happen up on the road. That doesn't fit either."

"You know who we have to go see don't you?" I asked Dean and he nodded slightly, like he was afraid to.

"Unfortunately, yeah."

0o0o0o0o

Cassie came back over and handed Dean and I both coffees. I hadn't wanted to come but Dean insisted, and he was annoyingly persistent with stuff like this. I think he wanted to make sure he was off the hook. Like if I went and saw he was behaving himself I'd have different thoughts about before. But like I said, only the date was going to change that.

"Thanks. So, we're trying to find some link between those killings back in the sixties and what's going on now, but there wasn't a lot about it in the paper."

Cassie shrugged. "Not surprising. Probably minimum police work, too. Back then, equal justice under the law wasn't too literal around here."

Dean cell started ringing and he answered it. Sam no doubt. "Yeah?"

I couldn't hear what Sam was saying so I tried to lean in and listen. After a moment of Cassie looking at me, I got super uncomfortable and pulled back. But Dean's arm had snaked around my waist, since I was sitting on the arm of his chair, and kept me from moving. I don't think it was a purpose action either because he was in deep with his conversation with Sam. He wasn't even looking at me and I realized it was out of habit.

Dorian?" Dean asked. "Didn't you say the Dorian family used to own this paper?" He looked at Cassie.

"Along with most everything else around here. Real pillars of the town." She sounded like she was a bit uncomfortable.

"Right, right." I leaned towards the computer and brought up an article with the headline 'Dorian Still Missing. Cyrus Dorian Missing For More Than A Week.' "That's interesting."

I heard the phone murmur something and Dean answered. "This Cyrus Dorian—he vanished in April of '63. The case was investigated but never solved. That's right around the time the string of murders was going on back then." Dean scrunched his face up in a question and looked at Cassie. "Mayor Todd knocked down the Dorian place?"

"It was a big deal. One of the oldest local houses left. It made the front page."

Dean now looked at me and told me to type the third of last month. I brought up another article that read, 'Mayor Buys, Bulldozes Historic Home. Heritage Committee Questions Civic Leadership.'

I looked from Dean to Cassie. "Mayor Todd bulldozes Dorian family home on the third. The first killing was the very next day."

0o0o0o0o

We headed back to Cassie's house to talk to her mother. Apparently there had been a gruesome murder between someone she'd had an affair with, Cyrus, and another man Martin. Martin and his friends had beaten Cyrus to hell, killing him. They put him in his truck and pushed it into the river near where all the killings were happening. I shook my head as we headed over to the river to pull up the truck. It amazed me the lengths at which people would go to get revenge.

"Alright, let's get her up." Dean was using a dredge to pull the thing up from the lake. I didn't even want to think where the hell he stole it from. "Alright, stop." Sam instructed and Dean did so, turning off the engine and getting out.

"Gas, flashlight." Dean told me and I got both out of the trunk.

"Alright, let's get this done." Dean said cautiously pulling the truck door open. We all grimaced at the still decomposing skeleton in the drivers seat. We carefully laid the skeleton on top of the dredge and I threw the match that lit the damn thing on fire.

"Think that'll do it?" I asked.

Suddenly something roared to life behind us. It was the truck and not that an inanimate object could really do this, but it looked pissed.

"I guess not."

0o0o0o0o

"So, burning the body had no effect on that thing?" Sam asked.

"Oh, sure it did. Now it's really pissed." Dean said glancing around at the burning body.

"But Cyrus' ghost is gone, right, Dean?"

Dean didn't answer, he was watching me run over to his car. "Apparently not the part that's fused with the truck." I yelled.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked.

Dean searched his pockets. "She's got my keys." He tried running to get in the car but I locked the doors and smiled at him.

"I'm going for a little ride." I said rolling down the window slightly.

"Are you nuts?" Dean bellowed.

"I'm gonna lead that thing away. That rusted piece of crap, you've gotta burn it." I said pointing to the truck.

"Unlock my door Andy." Dean demanded.

"How the hell are we supposed to burn a truck?" Sam asked.

"Figure something out." I pulled away from them and the truck instantly started to follow.

They were growing small in the side mirror and I could see Dean throwing something angrily at Cyrus's body as I turned the car. The truck was right on my damn bumper and rapidly gaining speed. The truck finally hit the back of the Impala sending me lurching foreword. I whipped my cell out, calling Sam.

"Hey, you gotta give me a minute." Sam answered.

"Give me the phone." I heard Dean say. "Andy you alright?" He asked worriedly.

I ignored the question, answering Sam. "I don't have a minute! What are we doing?"

I was on speaker. "Uh….let me get back to you. Dean hang up." Dean dutifully did so, even though I heard him swear not a moment before. I checked where the truck was and it hit the Impala again.

My cell rang and I answered it. "This better be good!" I yelled.

"Where are you?"

Was he freaking kidding me? "I'm in the middle of nowhere, with a killer truck on my ass!" I jerked the car slightly. "I mean, it's like it knows I put the torch to Cyrus!"

"Andy, Andy!" Dean cut through. "Listen to me, it's important, we have to know exactly where you are."

I looked out the window and passed a street sign. "Decatur Road, about two miles off the highway."

"Turn right!" Sam yelled. I stopped suddenly and skidded the car into the turn. "You're gonna need to move this thing along a little faster!" I said seeing the truck make the turn easier than the Impala had.

"Alright, you see a road up ahead?" Sam asked me.

"Yeah I see it."

"Okay, turn left." Sam said. "You need to go exactly seven-tenths of a mile and stop."

"Stop?" I asked a bit breathless.

"Exactly seven-tenths, Andy." Dean sounded worried and scared at the same time. I watched the odometer carefully and waited until it said seven-tenths and stopped. The truck came to the opposite side of me, staring me down.

"Andy, you still there?" Sam asked.

"What's happening?" Dean wanted to know.

"It's just staring at me, what do I do?"

"Just what you are doing. Bringing it to you." I didn't have to see Dean to know what he was doing. He was looking at Sam making sure he heard him right.

"She has to what?" Dean asked, angered by the fact I was sitting in his car waiting for the damn thing to plow me. Just then it took off in full speed, heading right for me. I sat there, hands gripping the steering wheel. But just as it hit the car it disassembled in a cloud of dust and suddenly just disappeared. My breathing was heavy and I looked around the area.

"Andy? God, Andy just say something." Dean was pleading.

"Where'd it go?" I asked.

"You're where the church was." Sam said and I looked around, there wasn't much left. "The place Cyrus burned down. Murdered all those kids. Church ground is hallowed ground, whether the church is still there or not. Evil spirits cross over hallowed ground, sometimes they're destroyed. So, I figured maybe that would get rid of it."

"Maybe? Maybe?! What if you were wrong?" Dean asked clearly furious.

"Guys! Hey, I'm okay. No worries." But that was getting no ones attention.

"Huh. Honestly, that thought hadn't occurred to me." Sam was saying and I rolled my eyes and hug up.

I could picture Dean smacking Sam upside the head and stating that Sam's pain honestly hadn't occurred to him. I smiled starting the engine and turning the car around.

0o0o0o0o

Dean demanded I dressed up for this date. I rolled my eyes, why not? He was making sure Sam was out doing something and we had the entire motel room to ourselves. Why not dress up and give him a little credit? I slipped on a small black dress, which curved to my features. Was it horrible that I had labeled this thing my funeral dress? I guess it was if I was wearing it on a date. But I mean in this job, we were always heading to funerals, wakes, parties, etc. I needed some type of black dress. I came out of the bathroom to find Dean setting the table. He was so adorable sometimes. The room was lit with candles and there were red rose petals covering the floor and one of the beds…

"Hey, you." I said startling him a bit. He had had his back turned to me.

"Hey." He said smiling, fixing his maroon button down. I knew it had to be Sam's because the sleeves were longer and he was rolling them up to his elbows.

"Sam help you with this?" I asked smiling.

Dean shook his head. "Nope all he's doing is getting the food."

He pulled out the chair and I sat down. "You ordered food?" I asked.

Again Dean shook his head as the door opened. "Nope." Sam came in with plastic bags setting them on the table.

"A hundred bucks Dean." Sam said annoyingly. He saw me sitting in the chair and came over to me with a huge smile. "You look beautiful Andy."

I smiled standing up to hug Sam. "Thanks."

He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Ya know, he's lucky to have you."

I nodded. "People keep saying stuff like that."

He shrugged. "Because its true."

"Hey Sam, this isn't a threesome." Dean said pointedly and Sam sighed, rolling his eyes.

He squeezed my hand before grabbing his bag and left. "So where exactly are you sending him?"

Dean smiled pulling out boxes of rigatoni and bottles of sauce. "To another room, far away from ours."

He went over to the stove and turned the fire on. After filling up a pot with water he set it on the stove. I pulled out a bottle of wine from the bag and smiled. "I'm sure he would have it no other way."

I got some glasses out of the cabinet and poured some wine. He put the noodles in the water and took the glass from me.

"Where'd you swipe the pots from?" I saw another one near the noodles that must have been for the sauce.

"I can't tell you that." Dean said shaking his head.

"Come on, kiss and tell." I said leaning against his chest.

"Well then I think you need to add something to that equation Andy." He was purring my name and I leaned in giving him a passionate kiss.

"Sam with a very big coat on, in the middle of the grocery store down the street."

"He managed to get two pots out without being buzzed?" I looked at him incredulously and Dean nodded sipping his wine.

"Man's a master."

"Can I help with anything?" I asked, watching as he strained the noodles ten minutes later and finish up with the sauce.

"You can sit there and look very beautiful." He said placing the sauce on the table.

I rolled my eyes. He was really trying to get points wasn't he? And that's when I remembered what I had talked about that morning with him. My heart started ramming in my chest and I realized I was nervous about… well ya know, with him. I wasn't afraid of him, I was afraid of the act. I was so scared I was going to become nothing to him right after the fact. It was something horrible to think that he was that shallow. But it wasn't like he hadn't done it with so many women.

"Hey…" he said standing above me. I think he could tell I was gazing off. He kissed me on the top of my head and I stood and looked at him for minute. His eyes were searching mine and I pressed my lips on his again. He tasted of rich wine. Dark grapes and red sourness. He pushed his tongue in my mouth and I wrapped my arms around his neck while his hands cupped my face.

He pulled back after a minute or two. "What was that for?" he asked smiling.

I smiled too, setting it off on mischievousness alone. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

We ate and talked about the hunts and what we really wanted out of life. Things we'd be doing if we didn't have this job, things Sam would be doing if he'd married Jess. Things that'd never leave the table or pass our lips again.

"I love the flowers." I said admiring the roses on the bed. I went over and picked up a bunch of the petals and brought them to my nose. Dean came up behind me planting kisses on my neck.

"I know." He said lovingly. I took a deep breath and turned around, pushing my lips against him again. We were kissing faster and his hands were finding their ways across the curves on my body.

I needed him. Now. I knew what I felt was real and I trusted him. So what was I waiting for?

**0o0o0o0o**

"Touch me." I whispered softly, dangerously.

Dean looked at me cautiously and I nodded, confirming he was allowed. "Where at?"

I breathed in deeply picking up the scent of his cologne and leather. Always the leather, even if he didn't have his coat on. "Anywhere."

His eyes darted up to look at mine and he pushed me down to lie on the bed. He kissed me deeply again and he teased with the ends of my dress before lifting it.

"Anywhere?" he asked, flicking his tongue around my belly button. He stopped to sit up and pull his shirt off, revealing hot muscles and a pounding heart as he leaned against me. I was literally throbbing; every cell in my body shaking and moaning. Dean slid down farther and I could feel his excitement against my leg as he drifted down. He kneeled down off the bed.

"Listen to me alright? I do anything your not comfortable with, you can tell me to stop." All I wanted to do was tell him to stop talking. But this is what I wanted. I wanted him to care about me while we did this. So I nodded at his sentence through my haziness and he smiled pushing his thumbs up my sides. He reached my panties and pushed his thumbs underneath the fabric, pulling them down slightly. He sat up against the bed and leaned to kiss below my navel, right where my pelvis began.

My breathing was starting to get ragged and he pulled my underwear down past my knees. He let them fall off my feet and down to the floor. He moved his hands up along my thighs, as gently as he could.

I wasn't talking much or damn, I wasn't even moaning. I was too deep in ecstasy to moan, but it was coming. "You alright?" he asked. I think he was alarmed that he was doing something wrong, even though he hadn't really even done anything yet.

"Yes." I barely got that out.

He leaned his head down and started circling my clit with his tongue and I had to grab the bed sheets to prevent myself from bucking my pelvis into his face. His one hand remained on my thigh while the other stroked the damp hair between my legs. I could feel his tongue go even lower and start to go in and out of me in a rapid motion. I knew he was playing with me, trying to drive me insane. It was working; euphoria and bliss were slowly leaking themselves into my blood stream and I was getting wetter and wetter then I could bear. He was standing now, slowly removing his jeans.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

"Yes, I'm fine." I was more than fine and my voice was practically begging him. I was panting as he lowered himself on me and when I felt him, hard and rigid inside me I groaned. Groaned so loud that he smiled. He pushed himself in and out of me and I snaked my hands around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. Our tongues were moving as fast as we were and I could taste myself as his tongue tickled the inside of my cheek. He was moaning and I could tell he was close, but so was I. I finally relaxed against him and he let loose with a roar, pushing a few more times to stroke out the feeling.

He lay down beside me and pulled me to lie on his chest. He was hot and still breathing frantically and I could hear my own loud heartbeat in my ears. His hand came up to stroke my hair and he kissed my temple.

"I love you." He said.

0o0o0o0o AUTHORS NOTE: continue here.

I was lying with a smile on Dean's chest, small amounts of euphoria lighting my veins. Dean had told me he loved me and it made me feel complete and warm. We had fallen fast asleep after that, tangled between the sheets and rose petals.

_Sam was bolting towards someone, he pushed him out the motel door and slammed it shut._

_He was panicked. Where was Dean? "Andy, I know he's your friend. But you saw him, he's not a person anymore!" _

_Something wanted in. It was pounding so hard on the door Sam seemed to be in pain. Dean suddenly came around from behind me and grabbed my shoulders. _

"_Andy, baby, come on snap out of it." _

_I was dizzy and Sam was thrown back from the door and it burst open. Jason came in, eyes black, knife in his hand. He came towards me so fast, Dean had no time to react as he was thrown aside. The knife plunged into my stomach and I gasped in pain._

"_Jason…" I coughed, my mouth was filling with blood as I slumped to the floor._

_0o0o0o0o_

I jerked up in bed, breathing heavily. My stomach was killing me and I put a hand to it. When I pulled it back, blood was coming off on my fingers.

It wasn't as big as the stab wound in my dream but blood was pouring quick and I was starting to feel dizzy. "Dean…" I said weakly, trying to wake him.

I pulled the sheets off him and pressed it to my stomach, trying to stem the flow. "Dean…" I said more forcefully.

He awoke with a start and saw me pressing the sheet against myself. "Andy, my god. Baby, what happened?" he asked me, rushing to my side.

I shook my head, tears pouring down my cheeks. "I had a nightmare…God Dean it hurts." I cried.

Dean got up from bed and dialed Sam, who was right down the hall. "Get down here now." he yelled into the phone. He hung up and slipped pants on. Coming back over to me he grabbed his leather jacket and slipped it over his bare chest. Sam burst into the room with a weapon in hand like something was attacking.

He saw me bent over at the waist, pushing the sheet to my stomach. It's whiteness was slowly turning red.

"Did you call an ambulance?" Sam asked.

"They fucking have me on hold!" Dean growled, throwing his cell phone at the nearest wall.

Sam picked me up in his arms. "Come on, hospitals ten minutes away. We can get her there faster."

Dean nodded, grabbing some of my clothes on the way out. The sheet was covering my nakedness and I thanked the heavens I had left my bra on.

Sam set me in the back of the Impala in Dean's arms and he held me up as Sam bolted to the hospital. I take it back that Dean was the fastest driver known to man. Sam made it to the hospital in five minutes flat and we hadn't been that close. My hero. They handed me off to doctors as we entered the building and they sewed me up. It took around two hours. They said they had had a difficult time stopping the blood flow.

"Who's waiting outside for you?" one of the nurses asked me nicely.

I cleared my throat. "Um, Sam and Dean Winchester."

She went to call them and they walked quickly into the room. "Hey." Sam said sitting on one side while Dean sat on the other. He had a t-shirt now on underneath his leather jacket. I guessed Sam must have given it to him.

I noticed the blood on Sam's shirt. "I'm sorry about your shirt."

Sam shook his head and kissed my head. "Seriously, I don't even want to hear about it. I do want to know what happened though."

I looked at Dean and he took my hand. "What happened Andy?"

I shook my head, backtracking through the dream. "Something was wrong with Jason, his eyes were black. We were in a motel and out of nowhere, he burst through the door. He stabbed me." I said, my voice starting to catch. Dean pulled me to lean against his side. I rested my head on his shoulder and his arm came up to stroke my hair.

"Shhh." Dean purred. He looked at Sam and Sam nodded, standing up.

"You want some hot tea Andy?" he asked me. "I think they have some in the cafeteria."

I nodded and sniffled. "Yeah, that'd be great Sam."

He smiled comfortingly and left the room, closing the door quietly. I shifted over on the bed so Dean could move closer to me. he brought his feet up and lay right next to me.

"Be careful not to pull your stitches alright?" he warned me.

I nodded but I wasn't really worrying about it at the moment. I started crying against him and he held me tighter. I was shaking and he pulled off his leather jacket. I was warmed by his skin and he put the jacket over top of me.

"Did you bring my phone?" I asked, my hiccupping breaths were starting to calm down.

Dean nodded, pulling it out of his pocket. I took it and dialed Jason's number. It didn't even ring, only a woman came on: _We're sorry, the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected._

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

Nightmare

Trying to figure out Andy's nightmares and what they mean.

What about Jason?


	27. Chapter 26: Nightmare Part 1

i hope that the last chapter didn't turn anyone off for the story. basically it was rated M just for that chapter. all the others i'm going to write are at K+ like the others.

enjoy and review :D

Chapter 26: Nightmare Part 1

I had only been in the hospital for two days now, but I was literally ready to crawl up the walls. I hated hospitals and from all my whining I could tell Dean was really starting to hate them now too.

"Can I go home now?" I asked again. It must have been the hundredth time. Dean rolled his eyes and got up from the chair and started to pace. He'd been doing that on and off for the last ten minutes. I was sure he was going to tell me what he did the last time I asked: that it wasn't up to him if I could leave or not. The doctor had to give me the go ahead. And I wasn't allowed to check myself out like he had done the last time he was in the hospital. I didn't understand why I had to wait while he busted out, hell I had helped him. I was his get away car for Christ's sake.

"You heard what the doctor said. You don't sit still for at least a day or two and you'll tear your stitches."

I smacked the side of the bed impatiently. It _had_ been at least a day or two. I had this theory in my head that they made hospitals extremely uncomfortable on purpose so you had this over whelming sensation to leave. Then when you leave to early something goes wrong and you have to come back. "I hate hospitals." I crossed my arms over my chest.

Dean sighed, walking back over to the bed to plant a kiss on my forehead. "I know, but we don't want to risk it."

He looked so tired and I cupped his face for a moment and stroked his cheek. "You haven't gotten any sleep have you?"

He shrugged and tried to smile, tried to cover how tired he really was. "I got a few hours in the chair."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right, I forgot that thing was so comfortable. You should at least go back to the motel and get a shower. Have Sam hang out here if you don't want to leave me by myself."

"Trying to get rid of me?" Dean asked, cocking his head to the side. I shook my head, smiling slightly.

I nodded. "Yes, because sooner or later your scent is going to do that for me." I said pushing him away from the bed.

"What are you talking about sweetheart? I smell glorious." Dean said, smoothing out his shirt.

I snickered. "Yep, just like elastic gloves and rubbing alcohol. It's a real turn on." I made a face and Dean frowned. He picked up his arm and made the action like he was smelling himself and then shrugged.

"Alright, fine. I'll go take a shower and then come back. Maybe by then we can get you out of here."

"Yes, please." I drawled out. He leaned in and gave me a long kiss and ruffled my hair playfully as he left.

"Sam will be here in five/ten minutes alright?"

"Yep, make sure you use soap."

He stuck his tongue out at me and I grinned. I shook my head, lying back in bed. I felt my stomach. It was still pretty sore from the stitches but not as bad as a few days ago. I really did hate hospitals. If it wasn't hunting, it was hospitals. Kind of came as a package deal with the job. You'd think all the times I got sent here on a case that I'd be used to it by now. But I knew the real reason was because my mother spent so many months here. My mom had had cancer and she spent most of her last months trying the chemo. We all had hopeful feelings but deep down I knew she was dying and chemo wasn't going to help her. They had caught it all too late and chemo had just sucked up the last months she had to live.

And that's when the fire had happened. I don't remember much about that night. Only that my mom was on her last week and she wanted to go home to die. We took her home and a fire happened in her room. The firefighters and cops said it was a knocked over candle but I knew better. John and my dad had started hunting a little before that and not that my dad knew, but I read up on demons just like the boys had done. So technically I had learned everything about demons and spirits around the same time Dean and Sam started learning. My first hunt was just later because of my father's over protectiveness.

"Hey." Sam said coming into the room. I shook my head to clear the memories and looked at him. I gave him a smile but he saw right threw it. "You alright?"

I nodded. "Given that I'm technically locked in a hospital room with wards…"

"They're called doctors." Sam said making me smile.

"Whatever, I'm alright. I just want to leave."

Sam sat down in the chair next to the bed and shifted uncomfortably. "Dean slept in this thing?"

"So he says. I don't buy it. He bitched the last time that his back was killing him when he slept on the couch."

Sam smiled, finally sitting back in the seat. He must have seen me look around the room and then back at my hands because he posed the next question. "Make ya think of your mom?"

I shrugged, still looking at my hands. "I'd like to blame doctors ya know? For not finding the damn thing earlier. But now, ya know even if she was alive she'd be with the rest of my family. And she wouldn't approve of me hunting."

Sam let out a sigh and leaned his elbows on his knees. "You don't know that."

"I know I'd never be here with you guys and I'd never be with Dean. If my mom would have been alive, my dad would have never dived into hunting. Would have never dragged me down with him. He'd probably be alive as well."

Sam didn't really say anything, probably couldn't find something that was wise and comforting at the same time. I shrugged and smiled again, taking the pressure of saying something to me. "I'd rather be here. I mean I can't picture just the two of you on the road. You'd kill each other."

"You don't know that either." Sam said smiling. "Although I do think if it wasn't for your random bursts of Rascal Flatts playing in the car, Dean's cassette tapes would end up on the side of the road."

I giggled. "_You'd_ end up on the side of the road before he'd let that happen."

Sam laughed a moment and then the room grew quiet again. It didn't feel comfortable either. Like I said, I think the hospital worked overtime in making you feel uneasy. "So you never contacted Jason huh?"

I shook my head. "I'm really worried Sam. I don't know what these nightmares mean."

"Or why you're getting sliced in the gut either."

"And that…do you—do you think it has something to do with my mom and the way she died?"

"The way she died?" Sam asked.

I nodded. "The—"

"I'm back beautiful." Dean interrupted, literally swaying into the room. "Doctor's going to check your stitches one more time and we can take you back to the motel." He plopped himself on the edge of the bed making it shake. "Huh, thought you'd be happier than that."

I looked at Sam before smiling at Dean. I hoped he knew our previous conversation wasn't over. "No, I'm thrilled believe me. I've been forced to sit here and eat hospital jello for two days now."

Dean nodded. "Right, all they wanted to do was make sure you didn't re-tear your stitches and bleed to death." He shook his head, smiling slightly. "Those fascists."

I grinned. "Is the doctor coming or do I have to wait three hours?"

Dean got up. "I'll go check your highness."

He left to go check where the doctor was and I looked to Sam. "There was a fire in my mom's room and that's the way she died."

"Your mom died in a fire?" Sam seemed alarmed, like a fire was happening right in this room right there and then. "Why didn't we know about it? Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

I looked at him questioningly. Why was he getting so worked up about this? "Well you didn't know because you were on a hunt with your dad at the time. When you came back my mom was dead. It's not like it was a vacation Sam I didn't want to talk about it."

He stood and ran a hand over his face. "But you chose to bring it up now?"

I sat up. "Okay, what the hell?"

"Andy, so you're saying all this time that your mom never died of cancer? She died in a fire? On the ceiling?"

I looked at him slowly. "How did you know that?"

"Because my mother died the same why, you know this!" He rubbed a hand over his face.

I shook my head. "I knew she died in a fire, not on the ceiling!"

"Hey, what the hell is going on I can hear you two down the hall." Dean said motioning out the door.

I shook my head again, looking at the floor. "Nothing, where's the doctor?"

"No way in hell is he coming in here until you tell me what you two were fighting about."

"It's none of your business." Dean looked taken back and I sighed. "Neither of you."

"Seeing as how you live with us and I drive your ass in my car, it sure as hell seems like it's our business." Dean sounded angry and I guessed it was just because I put it off like he had no place in my personal life.

"We care about you too Andy. If something's going on, we need to know so we can protect you."

"I don't need protection. I need space, this is _my_ family business. Not yours." I was surprised Sam hadn't opened his mouth and told him as soon as he walked in. But he looked angry so maybe he was just bottling it like he liked to do.

Dean smirked. "If you needed space you picked the wrong profession. We're together all the time, close quarters, you know that."

I shook my head as the doctor came in the room. "Hello Ms. Grasser, how are you feeling?"

I looked at Dean and wondered where the hell he thought of Grasser and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm alright."

"You gave your boys quite a scare ya know." I looked to Dean and Sam but they were looking at anything but me. I felt bad now that I wasn't being totally honest with them, because even though they were pains in my ass sometimes they did care about me. "Now you'll need to come back in four to six weeks to get the stitches removed."

"Any hospital or this one?"

"Don't live around here?" he asked looking at his clipboard.

He wouldn't find an actual residence on there. "The job I have takes me around, I was just making sure I could get them removed somewhere else if need be."

"Shouldn't be a problem. Sit up please."

I did so and Dean watched every move the doctor made at checking the stitches around my stomach, like all of a sudden he was going to pull out a knife and attack. I rolled my eyes, I asked for the protective boyfriend hadn't I?

"Alright Ms. Grasser, everything seems to be alright. I'll give you some pain meds and you should be good to go."

"Thanks Doc." Dean said as he walked out.

"My mom died in a fire." I said quietly. Sam looked like he was surprised I'd actually told Dean. "No body was sure how it had happened."

Dean looked to Sam and sighed. "Were pretty sure we know how. The demon that killed our mom and Jess…I can't believe you're telling us this now. Don't you think a red flag should have gone up after Jessica died the same way?"

I looked at my hands and remained quiet. Nothing I said was going to help me.

"Andy." Dean said somewhat harshly. I looked up at him and I shrugged.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what it meant. We still don't know what it means." I pointed out and pushed the covers off my legs. Sam placed my clothes at the end of the bed and I winced when I tried to grab them. I sat back and let out a sigh; freakin' agitated stitches.

"I got 'em." Dean said making a move to hand them to me. "You going to need help?"

I shook my head although it was a worthless action. He was going to stay and help me anyways. I couldn't reach for the clothes let alone dress myself and walk out of here. Sam took the keys from Dean and said he'd meet us outside. Dean turned around and waited for me to get things like my underwear and bra on, which was kind of funny to me since he'd already seen me naked. I guessed it was a chivalrous movement brought about by God knows what. But whatever, at least he was a gentlemen.

"Okay, I'm done." I said making him turn back around. He held my shirt as I tried lifting my arms over my head. I could only lift them so high without pulling my stitches a bit. I inhaled sharply as he pulled the shirt over my head and let it fall over my skin.

"Sorry." He apologized softly. "Guess no wild sex for a while huh?"

I looked up to see him grinning. "Not that you were the best the last time."

His smile faded and I smirked. I could literally see Dean's ego go down in major percents. I shoved him slightly. "I'm kidding, you big dork."

He helped me get my pants on, which I swear to God he was stalling, and finally wrapped an arm around my waist to help me stand.

"You alright? Everything feel alright?"

I nodded and winced. "Yeah, feels great to be slashed open and stitched back together."

Dean nodded as I leaned into him. "Stupid question. Look, as for the whole nightmares and the fire. Maybe they're tied together. We'll figure it all out okay?"

"Yeah." He set me in the back of the Impala and kissed my forehead before shutting the door.

"So no case or anything?" I asked them as Dean started the car and drove out of the parking lot. "And did you pick up my pain meds."

Sam held up a bag in front and shook his head. "We got nothing for right now, which is probably better seeing as how you can't handle much."

"I can handle some."

Dean shook his head, almost wrecking the car as he did so. "Are you kidding me? No way are you doing anything that has to do with hunting. You tear your stitches and we're back at square one."

"Whatever." I said sitting back in the seat.

"Look, Andy I'm sorry but I'm not going through that again."

The drive to the motel was longer than I had suspected. Maybe because he was driving to a new one. They always did that. After a while of staying in one motel we moved to another just for the change in scenery. I closed my eyes and tried getting some sleep.

Dean and Sam were mostly quiet for the drive until Dean turned down the music. I could tell Sam had turned around in the seat to see if I was awake or not and I kept my eyes shut. I wanted to hear what they were going to say, especially since we had had that fight in the hospital.

"She's asleep." Sam said.

"When we took her to the hospital that night Sam…I thought she was going to die." Dean said. It sounded like his throat was closing up and my heart ached for him.

"Yeah, me too." Sam agreed.

I heard shifting and felt eyes on me again. Although I knew it was Dean's this time. The car was stopped so we were either at a red light or at another motel. But the car started moving again.

There was a long pause before Dean started talking again. "I don't know what I would have done Sam."

My throat was closing with tears and I felt horrible he had to go through so much. Not just for what happened me, but for everything in his life that he had to go through.

"She's fine Dean. Let's just focus on that." Sam said trying to comfort.

"And what the hell is going on man? With her mom and her dreams, it's got to mean something and it can't be anything good. I wish dad was here."

It sounded like he was drumming the steering wheel impatiently but I didn't know if that was from him being upset or because there was a car in front of him. He finally turned the car and pulled it to a stop. The engine turned off and I heard the keys jingle.

"Why don't you go get a room, I'll wake up sleeping beauty back there."

Both of the doors shut and I felt the car shake a little when Dean opened the back door. I yawned loudly, trying to feign like I'd been asleep. "Are we there?" I asked drowsily.

Dean nodded, reaching around my waist again to help me out. "Yeah, sorry it took so long."

"Dean, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my mom."

Dean shook his head and kissed me on the cheek. "It's okay."

Although I knew it wasn't. "I'm sorry if this whole thing is happening and I could have told you about it sooner. Maybe if I would have, we'd know what was going on and the last few days wouldn't have happened."

Dean shut the door and led me in the direction Sam had gone. "Honestly? I think it would have happened one way or the other so don't apologize alright?"

I had so much to apologize for. But saying I was sorry Dean got dealt the wrong set of cards in life was not going to fix anything.

0o0o0o0o

We all decided that sleep was needed when we settled into the motel room. But around six AM Sam was stirring in his sleep. I sat up in bed and glanced over at him. He was tossing and turning and he looked like he was talking as well. His mouth was moving but I couldn't hear anything above Dean's snoring.

I got out of bed and went over to shake him slightly. The minute I did he bolted up, almost knocking me over.

"Sam, its okay. It was just a dream." I cooed.

But he was up and turning the light on. "Dean." Sam said urgently, shaking him. Dean sat up sleepily. "Dean, come on we have to go."

Dean looked at me and I shrugged. "What are you doing, man? It's the middle of the night."

"We have to go. Right now." Sam said throwing clothes at Dean and me.

"What's happening?" I asked him. Fear was obviously laced in my words. Looked like I wasn't the only one who was having nightmares.

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

nightmare

linking Sam and Andy's nightmares


	28. Chapter 27: Nightmare Part 2

okay so i'm sorry if it seems that Sam hasn't been in it alot. i was really working hard in the Dean/Andy realtionship. so theres more Sam in this one and i'll add extra scenes in other chapters too, like this one :D

enjoy!

Chapter 27: Nightmare Part 2

Dean got dressed quicker than I did and when I couldn't pull my pants on without stopping Sam started to take my arm and drag me out of the room. "Sam! Stop, I barely have pants on! Its cold out and I'm in mini shorts and a tank."

I stopped momentarily and tried getting on the pants as quickly as I could. "Andy, we don't have time for this…" Sam said impatiently.

Dean was locking the door and I was trying to move down the stairs and to the car without falling on my face and without tearing my stitches. "Sam you're going to have to stop a minute." I said stopping. I grabbed my stomach for a moment and winced. At least I hadn't pulled anything. There wasn't blood when I pulled my hand back.

Dean walked back up the stairs and held my arm to help me stand while I slipped the pants on. Suddenly Sam was ascending the stairs and got right in my face. "We don't have a fucking minute Andy."

I looked at him cautiously. He was scared, but trying desperately to hide it. Dean pushed Sam back, knocking him down a step. "Don't yell at her Sam. This whole nightmare of yours isn't her fault. We're trying here alright? But if she tears her stitches I'm telling you right now we're taking her to the hospital and not goose chasing your dream. You understand?"

Sam looked at me for a moment and then nodded, turning around to head to the car. I finally got the jeans on a few seconds later and I hurried to the car, not wanting to anger Sam more than he already was.

Sam called in with his fake badge number to get the registered owner of the license plate he had dreamt about. Dean was skeptical to the fact that it would check out…but it did.

"Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address?" He nodded, even though it was mostly to himself and scribbled down the information. "Checks out. How far are we?" he asked hanging up the phone.

"From Saginaw? Couple hours."

"Drive faster." Sam instructed almost urgently. Dean stepped on the gas and I felt myself jerk foreword a bit.

We pulled up to Jim Miller's house around two hour later and the car grew deathly quiet as we looked upon the swarms of people and police cars outside. We were too late.

0o00o0o0o

I carefully got out of the car as Sam hurried into the crowd of people to see what had happened. Dean stood back and waited for me but decided it was better to just lean against the car and wait for Sam to come back with the information.

"This is all my fault." I said quietly, leaning against the car door.

Dean shook his head putting an arm over my shoulder. "You know that's not true."

"If I would have just hurried to get in the car like Sam wanted me to…"

"Andy, come on. Don't. We couldn't have gotten here any faster. It's not your fault."

I nodded and looked at Sam walking back towards us. I bet he thought it was. If I would have just moved faster, not worried about my jeans or stitches, just got in the damn car… maybe the guy could have had a chance at living. But maybe Dean was right. It looked like the police hadn't been there long. They were still setting up caution tape around the area.

"What happened?" I asked Sam.

Sam stuck his hands in his pockets. It was a gesture I observed from him, he did it when he felt guilty. Don't ask me why, I'd just started noticing it. "They're saying suicide. They found him in the garage. Locked inside his car with the engine running." Even though his hands were in his pockets I could see him clenching his hands into fists. "It just happened about an hour or two ago."

Dean squeezed my shoulder at that information and I leaned into him. He was right. We wouldn't have made it here even if I would have dragged my jeans and ran into the car. Nothing would have gotten us here in time.

"Sam, we got here as fast as we could." Dean said, looking around at the ambulances and then to his brother.

Sam shook his head. "Not fast enough." I looked down slightly and Dean squeezed my shoulder again. "It just doesn't make any sense, man. Why would I even have these premonitions, unless there was a chance that I could stop them from happening?"

"I don't know."

"So, what do you think killed him?" Sam sighed deeply.

I shrugged. "Maybe the guy just killed himself. You know, maybe there's nothing supernatural going on at all."

Sam glared at me. I guess since I was the other person with nightmare experience I was supposed to understand and not make stupid statements. "I'm telling you, I watched it happen. He was murdered by something. It trapped him in the garage."

"Well, what? A spirit, a poltergeist, what?" Dean sounded like he was frustrated. Like Sam was making a bigger deal about this than he had to.

"I don't know what it was. I don't know why I'm having these dreams, I don't know what the hell is happening, Dean." He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. "You should be worried too Andy. Your dreams are worse, at least I don't get attacked in mine."

Was my mouth open a bit? "Wow Sam, thanks for reminding me of that. Now I'll never get any sleep." I said angrily, pulling back from Dean. I circled the car and got in the passenger seat. Screw Sam; he could sit in the back. Dean must have said something or was looking at him strangely because Sam asked him 'what' rather harshly.

"Nothing, man, I'm just worried about you two." Dean was saying. "Come on, let's just pick this up in the morning. We'll check out the house, we'll talk to the family."

Sam got into the back as Dean drove us back to the motel. We could get a few hours sleep before we visited Ms. Miller. I couldn't imagine what the hell we were going to show up as. I heard Dean mention something about the priest outfits. I rolled my eyes and scooted down farther in the seat to put my knees on the dashboard. That whole situation made me laugh. Out of all the things we chose to be? Priests? Have you accepted Dean and Sam Winchester, the all saving demon fighters, as your own personal saviors?

I pulled my jeans back off as soon as I got back into the motel room. They had been uncomfortably sticking to my skin ever since I forced them on on the stairs. "Much better." I said smoothing out my shorts.

"No kidding." Dean said grinning, obviously he was enjoying the view.

I rolled my eyes, throwing my jeans at his face. He caught them easily and set them down on the bed.

"I saw a mini mart on the way down here, I'm gonna head out and pick up a few things for tomorrow."

I glanced at the clock. It was nearing eight. "Now?"

Dean nodded, grabbing his keys. Why the hell did he put them down if he was picking them right back up?

"Hurry back." I said as he left.

I sat at the table and opened Sam's laptop. I paused for a moment before I started typing. "Can I use this?" I asked him. He was going through his bag and he looked up to see what I was talking about.

He nodded. "Yeah sure." He looked back down the moment he gave me permission.

I sighed and got up to approach him. "Sam, I'm sorry we didn't get there sooner. I kind of feel like it was my fault."

He shook his head, placing the bag on the floor. "Andy, I shouldn't have been trying to rush you out of here. I knew you had just gotten out of the hospital. If you would have gotten hurt because of me, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

I pulled Sam into a small hug. It was small seeing as how his frame was so huge and tall but I held onto him tightly and he did the same. "What the hell is going on with us?" I asked him softly.

I could feel his shoulders shrug. "I don't know. But we'll figure it out. We have to."

0o0o0o0o0o

"Hey, what are you still doing up?" Dean asked. He came in and locked the door behind him.

I rubbed my eyes and sat back in the chair to stretch. "You know why I'm up. I'm trying to find something that'll help with Sam."

"Andy, you called me a half an hour ago saying how frustrated you were that you couldn't find anything."

"I know, I know. It's just I thought I found something right after I called you. But it's all dead ends. Anything on psychics and premonitions in dreams…nothing, nada, zilch." I ran my hands through my hair, my fingers digging into my scalp. I was trying to relieve the pressure that I knew was the beginning of a headache.

Dean put the bags of food near the kitchen sink and went into the bathroom for the Advil.

"Thanks." I said taking it from him.

"Why don't you get some sleep? It's only nine now, we'll probably leave around eleven. I say let Sam sleep when he can."

"I've had hospital rest for two days…you sleep." He looked a bit aggravated when I said that. He was trying to care for me and I got that, hell I even loved it, but I was stubborn. He should have known that; he was too. "I can look up a few more things."

Dean looked at the bed for a moment before pulling up another chair next to me. He rested his arm on the back of my chair and sighed. "How bout some fresh eyes?"

I smiled gratefully and pushed the laptop towards him. "Thanks."

Unfortunately, Dean staying to help didn't get us much more information. Everything kept circling around the same thing: which was we had nothing to go on. All we really knew was that Sam was having visions in his sleep and that mine were attacking me. Nothing really to go on when you can't even name that as a certain condition. After a while I stopped looking for things that had to do with Sam and started looking for anything that tied into what was happening to me. Selfish I know, but I couldn't find anything on either so I figured the trade was even. I glanced over and saw Dean was falling asleep against the book he was reading and it looked like he was really craning his neck. I reached over and tenderly rubbed the starting knots in the back of his neck.

"You don't have to stay up with me."

He sat back and shook his head, trying to stop himself from drifting off. "No, I'm okay."

I looked at Sam. At least he was sleeping peacefully; it seemed to be nightmare free for the moment.

"I found this web site on psychic tendencies, but there was nothing on premonitions in dreams or why they would end up trying to kill you." I slammed the laptop shut somewhat frustratingly and sat back against my chair.

"Hey…take a deep breath alright? You break Sam's laptop and his OCD will let loose an overdriven fit." He rubbed one of my shoulders for a moment and leaned his forehead against the side of my head.

"I'm sorry. I just wish I could find _one_ thing on what we're dealing with." I sighed, softly turning into Dean's face. "I'm scared Dean. For me and for Sam."

Dean wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gradually pulled me up from my chair to stand in front of him. He laced his arms tightly around my waist. "Hey, look at me." I did and I could see the seriousness and determination light up his eyes. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, alright? You or Sam. That's my job."

He smiled, making the ends of my own mouth tug into a smile. Damn Dean Winchester and his infectious smiles. No wonder he could get away with anything.

0o0o0o0o0o

"This has got to be a whole new low for us."

Dean smiled adjusting his collar. I was with Sam on this one. We had never stooped as low as dressing up as priests…or nuns.

"I can't believe I'm a freakin' nun."

"It's a nice habit you got there Andy." Dean said grinning.

I punched him in the arm. "I'll habit you." I muttered.

The man who opened the door looked worn and tired and did not look happy to see us. Although given the circumstance I'm sure the last thing this man wanted to deal with was two priests and a nun, or pretend ones anyway.

"Good afternoon. I'm Father Simmons, this is Father Frehley. That over there is Sister Margret." I would have glared at him if I could. I hated the name Margret. I made the mistake of telling them when I was eight that for Halloween I wanted to be a princess. Princess Margret. I rolled my eyes; I'd never live that one down. "We're new to the St. Augustine Church. May we come in?"

The guy looked at us hesitantly and the 'oh shit were caught bells' were ringing in my head. But he nodded soon after and opened the door and we walked in. "We're very sorry for your loss." Sam added as we walked past him and he shut the door.

"It's in difficult times like these when the Lord's guidance is most needed…" What the hell? Did he read a pamphlet on the way over here or something?

"Look, if you wanna pitch your whole Lord-has-a-plan thing, fine. But don't pitch it to me. My brother is dead." He cut Dean off almost instantly which took us by surprise. But I didn't blame him. How could the Lord possibly have a greater plan if everyone around you was dying?

A woman came into the hallway and saw us, stopping the man from any further outburst. "Roger, please."

Roger excused himself and the woman, which I'm guessing was Ms. Miller came towards us and apologized. She offered us coffee and we followed her into the living room.

I swore the habit I had on was itching me straight to my scull. I scratched the side of my head and tried to position it in a place that wasn't so aggravating, but it wasn't really working out. I couldn't understand how women wore this all their life. Dean elbowed me slightly and I realized I hadn't been paying attention to what she was saying.

"Actually, our son, Max—he was the one who found him."

"Do you mind if maybe I go talk to him?" I asked sweetly. She nodded almost instantly and thanked me. I smiled and nodded. Anything so I could get up and scratch the side of my head. What the hell was the inside of this thing made of? Straw?

I walked in the direction Ms. Miller had pointed to and looked over the kid. He looked about sixteen or seventeen; whatever the age he was too young to be going through all this crap. He was slumped over in a chair in the far corner and I took off the habit and placed it over my arm. What was the convent going to do? Alert God I wasn't going by the rules? If God wanted me to keep saving people I needed the damn hat off. It was itching all the way to my brain.

"Aren't you supposed to have that on at all times?"

I looked to my right and Max had spoken up from his chair. I shook my head, running a hand over my French braid. "Actually, when it's itching the hell out of your skull, you have liberties to take it off."

"Why did you want to become a nun?"

I walked towards him slowly, leaning against the wall next to his chair when I finally reached him. I shrugged. "A lot of things. For me it wasn't really hard. I lost my mom and my dad and I really had nothing else to turn to. Plus, I'm good at it." It was like answering why I was good at hunting or why I wanted to do that and nothing else. It also had to do with Dean and Sam. I wouldn't leave those two for any job. Maybe Tom Welling….but that was a different story. "So, what was your dad like?" I asked. I wondered if that was too much of a jump foreword. I didn't want to ask questions and have him totally close up on me.

Max shrugged sadly. "Just a normal dad."

"And you live at home now?" I asked. Maybe he was older than I thought.

"Yeah. I'm tryin' to save up for school, but it's hard." He shrugged again and put his hands on his lap. He wasn't looking at me now and I guess it was better to ask this when he wasn't looking directly at me.

"So, when you found your dad…." Okay, so it wasn't a question. But it wasn't a leading statement I thought he'd follow.

"I woke up. I heard the engine running. I don't know why he did it." Tears were making their way down Max's face and I gently put my hand on his shoulder.

"I know what it's like, losing a parent. And I know it's rough when you don't have all the answers. It's frustrating and upsetting. And you can't keep that all to yourself. I'll give my cell number on the way out alright? And if you think of anything or you just need to talk, call me."

He nodded thankfully and I started to walk away to find Dean and Sam. "Aren't nuns not allowed to have cell phones?"

I smiled at him. "Our little secret?"

He nodded and smiled also. The kid had a nice smile. It wasn't fair that his smile wouldn't be used for a while.

0o0o0o0o

I couldn't find Sam or Dean anywhere on the first floor so they were either at the car or upstairs EMF-ing the place. I decided to head back to the car and wait for them there. I changed into some black jeans and a grey t-shirt and put the nun outfit in the trunk. It was a nice day out too. To bad it had to be filled with a hunt instead of fooling around with the guys. As I leaned against the hood of the car I got this piercing headache. And not the kind that just hits your temples and then its finished. It felt like a hot poker was searing the inside of my head, letting the embers fall and burn against the ridges of my eye sockets. I grabbed my head with both hands and tried to massage the headache out by rubbing the sides of my head. It seemed to get a little better and I shook my head, grimacing.

"Jesus…" I muttered.

"Not such a nice thing to say Sister Margret."

I looked up seeing Dean and Sam coming back towards the car.

"What's the matter?" Dean asked seeing the pained expression on my face.

I shook my head, my one hand still massaging the one side. "Nothing, just a killer headache all of a sudden."

"Aw…" Dean muttered coming towards me. He cupped me head gently in his hand and kissed my temple. "That's what happens when you don't get enough sleep and live on a caffeine IV."

I nodded. "I guess." Kind of sudden for a 'lack of sleep' headache. But I let it slide, no need to worry Sam or Dean about a meaningless headache. Plus I'm sure It'd go away by the time we got back to the motel.

We stopped for gas on the way back and Dean held the door open before heading in to pay. "You need anything?" he asked me softly.

I shook my head and continued leaning my head against the car door. I could tell he was looking from me to Sam, that same worried look on his face, before he shut the door. He shut the door normally but the sound waves were bouncing off the inside of my head like foghorns. I winced and Sam turned around in his seat.

"You alright?"

I barely nodded. "Are Dean's sunglasses up there?"

He turned around and looked for a moment, then held them up. "Sun'll be down soon."

I took them from him anyway. "Everything's super loud and super bright. It's like a hangover with no fun drinking the night before hand."

Sam looked at me sympathetically. "Maybe it's a migraine?"

I shrugged. "Never had any before."

"Pretty sure they can start up at any time. Especially if it runs in the family."

"Great." I rolled my eyes and shut them, leaning my head back against the leather. Migraines had run on my mother's side. But I had never had any before. If they were like this every single time, I wasn't going to be able to take it. It was like an explosion pounding inside my head.

Sam and I made small talk till Dean came back to the car. Small stuff. Like which one of Dean's tapes sucked the most and what was your favorite diner from all the ones we had been to.

"Definitely the one where those pancakes ended up on the ceiling." I said smiling slightly.

Sam laughed. "How the hell did that happen again?"

"Dean thought our waitress was possessed and splashed her with holy water. The girl jumped so high our breakfast ended on the ceiling."

"Dean thinks a lot of diner waitresses are possessed. You ever notice that?"

"It's just because none of them hit on him as soon as he walks into the room."

Sam started laughing again as Dean reached the car. "What are you two laughing about?" he asked getting in.

Sam contained the rest of his giggles and shook his head. That was a no comment. Dean rolled his eyes and turned in his seat.

"How's my baby doing?" he asked.

I shrugged, lifting the sunglass off my face.

"Here, got ya Pop Tarts."

I smiled, sitting up to take them. He knew the way to my heart was paved with cinnamon Pop Tarts. "Thank you." I said, kissing his cheek. Dean smiled proudly and turned back to start the car.

I split the Pop Tart with Sam, since Dean was driving. "Oh, I forgot to ask, did you end up getting any readings upstairs?"

Dean shook his head. "Nothing. Ms. Miller even said the house has been quiet. No disturbances since she moved in."

"Maybe there were disturbances before she moved in, or when it was being built."

"That's what we were thinking." Sam said swallowing the last bit of Pop Tart. "And what we're going to look into once we get back."

"What did you get out of the kid?"

"Nothing really." I wiped the crumbs off my hands against my jeans. "He sounded sad and upset, just like everyone else there. I gave him my cell though, in case he needed someone."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did." Dean quipped. But he hadn't meant for it to be funny.

"Oh dear God." I said sitting up in between the seats. "Please don't tell me you're jealous of a seventeen year old."

Dean glared at me and I smiled. "Don't you have a headache or something?"

Now it was my turn to glare at him. "Yes." I sat back in the seat as Dean pulled into the parking lot of the motel.

We researched for about two hours. Sam was on his laptop while I buried my nose in books and Dean finally gave up on reading all together and started cleaning his weapons. I looked up at him for a moment and got up from the table. I crawled on the bed he was on and sat behind him, leaning my head against his back. I could feel his head turn slightly to look at me before his attention went right back to cleaning the rifles.

"Hey, how's your head?"

I shrugged. "A little better. Still hurts."

Dean put the weapon he was cleaning down and turned to pull me on his lap. He leaned me against his shoulder and started to rub my temples with his fingers. His hands were moving in slow circles and I relaxed against his shoulder. Damn, did that feel good.

"Better?" he asked me and I nodded.

"Yeah, a lot thanks."

He did it until Sam arose from his laptop, which was ten minutes later and I sat next to Dean to hear what Sam had found.

"So, what do you have?" Dean asked, going back to cleaning the guns.

"Nothing bad has happened to the Miller house since it was built." Okay, so maybe I didn't have to listen to a whole lot.

"What about the land?" There had to be something right?

"No graveyards, battlefields, tribal lands, or any other kind of atrocity on or near the property." Sam through the papers on the bed. Okay scratch that. There didn't have to be anything.

"Hey, man, I told you I searched that house up and down. There were no cold spots, no sulfur scent, nada." I kind of felt like Dean was rubbing it in or something and Sam sat on the bed and winced a moment. Did his head hurt? Were headaches contagious?

"So, what, you think Jim Miller killed himself? And my dream was just some sort of freakish coincidence?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm pretty sure that there's nothing supernatural about that house."

"Yeah." Sam grimaced and started massaging his temples and all of a sudden I felt my headache start to slip away. The gnawing pain I'd had for hours was starting to disappear. Or maybe it wasn't really disappearing at all, because Sam was starting to clutch his head in pain.

"What's wrong with you?" Dean asked concerned and Sam inhaled sharply, falling on his knees to the floor. "Yeah—my head!" He grunted in pain and Dean and I rushed off the bed over to him. Dean grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to get what was going on.

"Sam? Hey. Hey! What's goin' on? Talk to me."

He seemed to be going in and out. For a moment he was looking at us and then straight at the wall. I grabbed his chin trying to get him to look us in the eyes but he wouldn't budge. Suddenly he snapped out of it, now grabbing Dean panicked. "It's happening again. Something's gonna kill Roger Miller."

My headache was completely gone.

0o0o0o0o

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	29. Chapter 28: Nightmare Part 3

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0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 28: Nightmare Part 3

I backed up against the bed as Sam came out of it. He was up and grabbing his things again, same panicked movement he'd made last time. I wondered if he'd yell at me to get my pants on again, although I would have to actually move to do that. I couldn't feel my legs though. Something was off; it couldn't have been a coincidence. My headache didn't just disappear as Sam started to get one. Stuff like that didn't just happen. There had to be a connection, there always was. Although this time I was pretty sure I didn't want to know.

"Andy, come on." Dean said, roughly pulling my shoulder.

I just shook my head and turned to look at him. But he had already started moving around the room like Sam was. Collecting things they thought they needed; Dean frantically trying to put the weapons back together without damaging them. I was just hoping one of the damn guns didn't go off while he did that. He was whipping them back together pretty freakin' quickly. Nothing like explaining to the front desk why there's a brand new gunshot hole in the ugly painted wall. Although I guess we could just show them a police badge and say that it accidently went off.

"Dean… I can't…" I shook my head. "I can't feel my legs."

He looked at me worriedly and motioned to Sam. "Help her would you? I need to get these back together and in the trunk."

Sam nodded and put the bag over one of his shoulders. He put an arm around my waist and pulled me up from the ground. "Come on, I got you." He muttered pulling me towards the door. "Dean?"

"I'm coming." Dean answered following him out the door.

"Put away all the weapons?" Sam asked, shifting me in his arms a bit as we descended down the stairs.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, put together as much as I could and hid the rest. We should be alright."

Sam opened the passenger door and put me inside and hurriedly got into the back. As soon as Sam closed the door we were driving away. These boys could move; I gave them that. I heard Sam on the phone again, getting the information to Roger Miller.

I looked at him through the rearview mirror and every so often he was wincing and rubbing his head. Poor thing.

"Hey, you alright?" Dean asked, grabbing my attention.

"There's a connection right? I mean something is happening to us Dean." My voice was shaking with worry and Dean grabbed my hand and held it tightly.

He didn't answer though which didn't calm my fear, it actually heightened it. When Dean was scared and was showing it, you had something to be afraid of.

When Sam got off the phone, Dean looked back at him. Damn, he looked sick and uneasy. I tried to convince myself it was just him getting carsick from the backseat. "If you're gonna hurl, I'll pull the car over, you know, 'cause the upholstery—"

I knew the last thing he was worried about was the upholstery. Not this time. He was terrified about Sam and it scared me that I could see it. It was Dean's job to keep a cool head. So when Sam and I were freaking out we could look to Dean and feel a bit relaxed, but not this time. Dean was unnerved and upset and when I looked at him it made my skin crawl.

"I'm fine." Sam assured him. "Just drive."

Dean nodded and let go of my hand to put both hands on the wheel. After a moment or two Sam spoke up again. "Dean, I'm scared, man. These nightmares weren't bad enough, now I'm seeing' things when I'm awake? And these visions, or whatever, they're getting more intense. And painful."

I nodded. "I know how you feel on that one. I mean seriously, what the hell? There is no way that I got a piercing headache not two hours before Sam had another vision, that hello? Hurt like hell. And did I mention that my headache completely disappeared when Sam's head started hurting?"

Dean looked at me like I had five eyes and honestly, it hurt. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" He had to know he was treading on thin ice.

"Like I'm some sort of freak alright?" My voice was way elevated and I think I was making Sam's headache worse.

"Look, next topic alright?" I looked out the window. "Did you see anything? Like a vision?" Sam asked leaning up between the seats; I'm guessing to look at me.

I shook my head and reached back to take my hair out of the French braid. "No, I saw nothing. I just had the headache."

"Well I'm sure you'll be fine. Both of you." Dean was trying to be reassuring. Which took a lot of balls to do, seeing as how we had no idea what the hell was happening and Sam and I were starting to freak out.

"What is it about the Millers? Why am I connected to them? Why am I watching them die? Why the hell is this happening to me?" Sam asked getting frustrated.

"Yeah, you know those are good questions. Want to hear some others?" I asked sarcastically. This is sometimes how I got when I was angry. Either I cried or yelled or sometimes rambled off questions from the top of my head. "Why the hell are my dreams trying to kill me? Why is it when I had a headache I didn't have a vision? Why did my headache go away...?"

"Why are you giving me a headache right now?" Dean interrupted, looking irritated.

I shoved him hard in the shoulder and it was anything but playful. Dean looked at me like I had almost wrecked the car. "Jesus Christ Andy." He grit out and Sam interrupted us yet again.

"Look, we face the unexplainable every single day but it's never been us. It's never been in the family like this. Tell the truth, you can't tell me this doesn't freak you out."

He was looking directly at Dean. I guess we had already covered how freaked to hell I was.

Dean just shrugged but he was gripping the wheel, turning his knuckles white. "This doesn't freak me out."

Sam and I looked at one another briefly. Looked like it was just us on this one.

0o0o0o

We reached Roger's apartment and saw him passing the car to head inside. Although before we could actually stop him Sam yelled his name out the window. Not the stealthiest way to get someone's attention.

He glanced at us completely annoyed. "What are you guys, missionaries? Leave me alone." He then waved us off before we could tell him what was going on.

We got out of the car as quickly as we could but Roger had closed the apartment door on us. Sam was begging him to let us in but he wouldn't. God, at these times I _really_ hated people. What the hell was wrong with you that you couldn't just hear us out? You might as well sign your own name on your freakin death certificate.

"I don't want your help." He would when something was going to attack him.

"Come on." I said pulling the boys back towards the alley. We reached the fire escape and rushed up it but not a minute later we all heard a crashing noise and it brought us all to a dead halt. We walked slowly up to the top and I guessed the window covered in blood was Rogers.

"Oh God…" I grimaced, placing a hand over my mouth.

Dean and Sam were staring at the window in disbelief. I turned my head away from the mess and looked at Sam. Flustered, Dean took out a few rags from his pocket and handed them to Sam and I.

"Here, start wiping down your fingerprints, we don't want the cops to know we were here. Go, go, come on." Dean urged Sam, who looked like he was going to be sick. Dean moved to the window next to the one covered in blood and said he was going to take a look inside. I slumped down on the fire escape steps and covered my head with my hands.

"Andy, come on you gotta help me here." Sam said shaking my shoulder.

"I think I'm going to be sick." I said quietly and handed the rag to Sam. After he finished the prints he went to the step lower to me and kneeled down to look at me.

He squeezed my knee and ran a hand through my hair to calm me down as Dean came back out of the window.

"She alright?" I heard him ask.

Sam continued to stroke my hair. "I think it's all the blood."

Dean came towards me and lifted me to my feet but I leaned right into Sam as we headed down the stairs. Dean was trying to be understanding, but he really couldn't be. Sam knew how I was feeling because he was feeling it too. He understand in a way that Dean couldn't. I could tell I bruised his feelings a bit as we got back to the car, but he'd get over it.

"I'm tellin' you, there was nothing in there. There's no signs either, just like the Millers' house." Dean said.

Sam sat in the back again and I was in the passenger. "I saw something in the vision, like a dark shape. Something was stalking Roger."

"Well, whatever it was, we can be sure it's not connected to their house." I said quietly and Dean took over stroking my hair for a moment.

Sam leaned back in his seat. "No, it's connected to the family itself. So, what do you think we got? A vengeful spirit?"

"Maybe Roger and Jim Miller got involved in something heavy. Something curse-worthy." Dean tried, throwing information out into the open.

I nodded, that could have been it. "And now something's out for revenge. And the men in their family are dying. Hey, you think Max is in danger?"

Dean shrugged. "Don't you think he would have called you if that was true?" I glared at him and he shrugged again, moving his hand from my hair. "Let's figure it out before he is."

0o0o0o0o

We headed over to Max's the next day. It was mid afternoon so we figured everyone would be awake. Dean and Sam downed their priests' outfits again but I just but on a black skirt and a long sleeved black top. I was in no mood to put that habit on my head again.

"My mom's resting. She's pretty wrecked."

I nodded as he led us into the living room. "I can understand. How you holdin' up?"

We all sat down on the couch and Max nodded and tried to smile. "I'm okay."

"Your dad and your uncle were close?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, they were brothers. They used to hang out all the time when I was little."

I cringed slightly for a moment. Damn it, not again. It seemed every time I ended up over this house I got a headache. But I knew it was much more than that now. I ran a hand over my forehead and winced.

Dean put a hand on my leg. "You alright?"

I shook my head, the throbbing in my head becoming more intense by the second. "Excuse me." I said standing. "I need some fresh air."

I walked out of the room and out the front door as quickly as I could. I could hear someone follow me and I knew it was Dean. As soon as I got outside I bent at the waist, both hands flying to my head.

Dean rushed around the front of me, grabbing my shoulders tightly. I think he was trying to prevent me from kneeling on the ground; which I was about to do. The pain in my head seemed like it was shooting through my system. Like a really painful paralyzing drug. It was making my legs weak.

"Andy, baby, come on. Talk to me." Dean said worriedly. I was slipping from his grasp and he picked me up in one quick motion and placed me in the backseat of the Impala.

He kneeled in front of me trying to remain eyelevel. I grabbed his one shoulder tightly just waiting for the pain to pass. It lasted for so long that I thought it wouldn't. But finally the initial grueling pain started to die down and I was left with the throbbing of a normal headache. I collapsed against his shoulder, breathing heavily and crying.

"Shhhh…" He hushed rubbing my back. "It's over now, your alright."

"God, please tell me we have Advil." I said, sniffling and pulling back slightly.

He nodded. "Yeah, in the glove compartment."

He stood and circled the car to get it and I saw Sam rushing out of the Miller house.

"Andy." He said as he approached the car. He knelt down just like Dean had done. Except he was way taller and was almost hitting his head off the roof. "You okay?" he asked. His face was creased with concern. But I couldn't tell if he was completely worried about me or about himself as well. Seeing as how the last time I got a headache one of his visions wasn't far behind.

I wiped the tear tracks away with a tissue Dean had handed me. He then handed me the pills. "I hope you can take them without water."

I nodded, popping them into my mouth hand swallowing. "I'll suffer through."

"That one seemed way worse." I'm glad Sam was so observant. "You didn't see anything did you?"

"Other than picturing the blinding pain was from a hot poker through my skull?" I shook my head. "No, nothing."

I rubbed my hands over the sides of my head and groaned. I could tell both of them were looking at me apprehensively and I sighed. "I'll be okay guys. Let's just focus on Sam here. So what did Max say?"

Sam stood outside the car and started removing the white strip from around his collar. "That his family was totally normal and happy."

Dean snorted. "Well we know that's absolutely bull."

I nodded and closed the Impala door. Dean and Sam were removing their shirts from behind the car and I was getting dressed in the backseat. They came back around the front when they were done and Dean handed Sam the keys and slid in the back with me.

"Nobody's family is totally normal and happy." Dean commented as Sam sat in the driver's seat.

"When he was talking about his old house he sounded scared. So maybe he isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighborhood, and find out what life was really like at the Millers'."

Dean nodded. "I'm guessing you got the street address."

Sam smiled and turned in his seat to start the car. I continued rubbing my head until Dean scooted over in the seat next to me. I looked up at him. His eyes were asking me if I was okay and I shook my head no.

I should have lied. Dean looked so worried and uneasy ever since he had followed me outside. I hated to worry him this much, but I couldn't help it right now. He pulled me close to him and held me tightly. His one arm circled my waist while the other came up to hold my head to his chest. His hand gently massaged the side of my head and it almost made me want to fall asleep.

We pulled up to a neighbor's house which was across the street from the old Miller's house and got out to talk to the neighbor. Sam got out first to engage him in conversation and Dean helped me out of the car.

"You can stay inside if you want."

I shook my head no and got out with him. "I'm not gonna let a headache stop me from doing my job."

He looked like he wanted to say something else but he knew my determination face and nodded. He gave me long kiss on my forehead and held my hand as we approached Sam.

"No, no, actually, we were just wondering if you might recall a family that used to live right across the street, I believe." Sam was saying. "They had a little boy named Max."

The man looked slightly sad and suddenly my head wasn't hurting as much as it did before. Maybe it was just me but I looked to Sam anyway. He looked okay.

"Yeah, I remember." The neighbor went on. "The brother had the place next door. So, uh, what's this about? That poor kid okay?"

"What do you mean?" I asked now looking at the man.

"Well, in my life, I've never seen a child treated like that. He was a mean drunk. He used to beat the tar out of Max. Bruises—broke his arm two times that I know of."

Sam looked disgusted and I could feel my stomach recoil at the thought of it. I leaned against Dean who squeezed my hand sympathetically.

"In fact, that thug brother of his was just as likely to take a swing at the boy, but the worst part was the stepmother. She'd just stand there, checked out, never lifted a finger to protect him."

"Now, you said stepmother." My headache was definitely disappearing now and I looked at Sam who was wincing. I let go of Dean's hand and went over to Sam.

"Are you okay, there?" The man asked noticing Sam was clutching his head and breathing sharply.

Sam looked him painfully. "Yeah."

I grabbed Sam's shoulder and squeezed it and Dean moved him to get him into the car.

"Thanks for your time." I said turning to thank the confused neighbor. He nodded politely and went back to his yard work.

Sam collapsed against the seat as we got him into the Impala. Dean got into the driver's seat as I got in the back to try and help Sam. But he was looking painfully off into the distance again and Dean was driving the car away from the neighbor's house so the guy wasn't watching us.

"Is he alright?" Dean barked, driving the car a bit haphazardly.

I held onto Sam's shoulders tightly. "I think…I don't know."

Dean pulled the car over and turned around. All we could do was wait for Sam to come out of it. Sam gasped and sat up quickly. I was right there and he'd collapsed against me. I put my arms around him and ran my hands through his shaggy hair.

"Sam? You okay? What did you see?" I asked softly.

He sat up and rubbed his hands through his hair and over his face. These headaches took a lot out of you but I couldn't understand how tiresome it must have been to have the extreme headache with the emotional vision attachment.

"Max is doing it. Everything I've been seeing." Sam said and sat against the side of the car. Dean started the car again and headed off in the direction of Max's house.

"You sure about this?" Dean asked and Sam nodded. "How's he pullin' it off?"

"I don't know. It looked like telekinesis."

"So, he's psychic? He's a spoon-bender?" Dean asked unconvinced.

"Dean, give it a rest a minute alright?" I asked.

Sam shook his head at me and smiled in thanks. "I didn't even realize it, but this whole time he was there. He was outside of the garage when his dad died, he was in the apartment when his uncle died. These visions, this whole time, I wasn't connecting to the Millers, I was connecting to Max. The thing I don't get is why, man? I guess because we're so alike?" Sam asked.

Dean was not going to like that one. "What are you talking about?"

Sam shrugged, rubbing his forehead. "Well, we both have psychic abilities. We're both—"

"Both what?" Dean cut him off. "Sam, Max is a monster. He's already killed two people, and now he's gunnin' for a third."

"Well, with what he went through—the beatings. To want revenge on those people, I hate to say it, but it's not that insane." I said quietly.

Dean looked through the rearview mirror at me and glared and I looked at my shoes. "Yeah, but it doesn't justify murdering your entire family. He's no different than anything else we've hunted. Alright, we've gotta end him."

He pulled the car over at Max's house and shut it off.

"We're not gonna kill Max." Sam said forcefully. I was right there with him. Damn, it felt like we were at Le Grange all over again.

"He's human Dean." I said angrily and he turned to look at us both.

"Then what? I hand him over to the cops and say, "Lock him up, officer, he kills with the power of his mind."" That sarcastic attitude of his was going to get him punched one day. And I felt like I was going to be the one to do it.

"Forget it. No way, man. Andy's right. He's a person. We can talk to him." Dean looked at us skeptically. "Promise me you'll follow my lead on this one."

Dean paused and looked angry I was taking Sam side on this one. But he had to learn it had nothing to do with him being my boyfriend when I took sides. It had to do with what was right. And killing this kid was not right.

"Alright, fine. But I'm not lettin' him hurt anybody else." He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a gun and placed it in his jeans. He'd used it if he had to and I prayed to God Max would listen. Because Dean wouldn't hesitate using it if Max put Sam and I in danger.

0o0o0o0o0o

Unfortunately we didn't have time to knock. Sam assured us it wouldn't have mattered if we did. We burst through the door and Ms. Miller and Max looked at us questioningly.

"What are you doing here?" Max asked us.

"Max, could we, uh—could we talk to you outside for just one second?" Sam smiled putting his puppy dog eyes on.

"About what?" Max looked at us cautiously. He didn't trust us and he had good reason.

"It's—it's private. I wouldn't wanna bother your mother with it. We won't be long at all, though. I promise." Sam said.

Max glanced at his stepmother and then to me for some reason. I smiled at him and he nodded.

"Okay."

Although as quickly as he said yes he started to back up away from us. I looked to Dean who was opening the front door and my eyes widened. Max could see Dean's gun in the reflection of a mirror close to the door. The door slammed shut along with all the windows.

"You're not priests!" He screamed. Dean stupidly took out the gun and pointed it at Max and suddenly Dean didn't have the gun anymore. Max did. He pointed the gun at me and Ms. Miller came out of the kitchen and towards us.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded and Max jerked his head to the side and she was flung into the kitchen counter, knocking her unconscious.

"Max, calm down!" Sam tried. I looked to Dean who was starting look extremely angry that the gun was being pointed at me. I put my hands up in defense trying to shy away from the gun's direction.

"Don't move!" he yelled at me and I stopped. "Who are you?!"

"We just wanna talk to you." My voice quivered.

"Yeah, right, that's why you brought this!" He said waving the gun. Dean stepped foreword out of instinct and Sam stopped him. I looked at him helplessly and I could tell he was gritting his teeth from just standing still.

"I'm having visions, Max. About you."

He now looked at Sam. "You're crazy."

"So, you weren't gonna launch a knife at your stepmom?" He pointed to his eye and I looked to Dean who was trying to inch himself towards me. "Right here? Is it that hard to believe, Max? Look what you can do. Max, I was drawn here, alright? I think I'm here to help you."

"No one can help me!" He screamed making Dean stop.

"Let us try. We'll just talk." Max now looked at me and I gave him a sympathetic smile. He looked so lost and upset but most of all angry. Some part of me understood him. He was forced into this. This scared angry way of seeing things. "It can be me and you or you and Sam. Anything you want. We'll get Dean and Alice out of here."

Dean shook his head angrily finally making his way towards me. The light fixtures above us started to shake and rattle when Dean grabbed my arm. "No way am I leaving you by yourself."

"Nobody leaves this house!" Max yelled.

"And nobody has to, alright? They'll just—they'll just go upstairs." I said.

"I'm not leavin' you alone with him." Dean said pulling me close to him. He was shaking and I knew he was terrified of leaving me alone to basically get killed. Max wasn't stable and he was holding a gun close to me.

I looked at him and nodded. "Yes, you are." I said quietly.

"Look, Max, you're in charge here, alright? We all know that. No one's gonna do anything that you don't want to, but we're talkin' five minutes here, man." Sam added, trying to help.

Max looked from me to Sam. "Five minutes." The lights stopped shaking and he looked to Dean. " Go." Dean looked at me and I nodded, trying to be reassuring. I guess I couldn't really do that though seeing as how I wasn't exactly comfortable with the situation either. The only thing that ever made me feel safe was Dean, and I was sending him upstairs. But Dean didn't exactly promote calmness for Max so he had to go. Dean gave me a long kiss on the forehead and he looked at Max steadily when he did so. He was basically telling Max if anything happened to me, there would be hell to pay. He then moved across the room and shook Ms. Miller awake. When she sat up and groaned Dean lifted her and took her upstairs.

Max put the gun in his jeans and sat on the couch. I sat as close to Sam as I could. I was damn near sitting on his lap, but honestly I was scared. Max was a loose cannon and with that gun so close to him I wanted to be as close to Sam as I could.

Sam spoke first. "Look, we can't begin to understand what you went through."

Max's voice was trembling. "That's right, you can't. It'll stop. After my stepmother."

"Look, what they did to you, what they all did to you, growing up—they deserve to be punished." I said trying to be understanding.

He sat up quickly making me flinch and Sam put a hand on my leg to keep me from moving. "Growing up? Try last week." He stood up and raised his shirt to show us multiple black and purple bruises.

Sam and I were stunned and I could feel sympathetic tears filling my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"When I first found out I could move things, it was a gift. My whole life I was helpless. But now I had this." Max sighed sitting back in the seat; too embarrassed to even look at us. "So the next time he beat me…I knew what I had to do. And it wasn't about getting away—just knowing that they'd still be out there. It was about not being afraid. He blamed me for everything. For his job, for his life, for my mom's death."

I looked at him questioningly. "Why would he blame you for your mom's death?" I asked softly.

"Because she died in my nursery. While I was asleep in my crib." My eyes grew wide as did Sam's. That was the missing piece. That's what this was all about.

0o0o0o0o

"There was a fire." Max continued. "And he'd get drunk and babble on like she died in some insane way. He said that she burned up. Pinned to the ceiling."

Sam and I were basically shocked at this point. That was the connection to all of this.

"Listen to me, Max. What your dad said about what happened to your mom—it's real." I tried and he looked at me like I was on an acid trip. "It happened to my mom, too."

Sam nodded. "Mine also. Exactly the same—my nursery, my crib. My dad saw her on the ceiling."

"The same thing killed our mothers." I said my voice getting escalated. I was trying to calm down because Max still had the gun and if he got upset he could use it on us. By accident or on purpose. Either way it was bad.

"That's not possible."

"All of us Max, we're hunting for your mom's killer. And we can find answers. Answers that can help us both. But you gotta let us go. You gotta let your stepmother go."

Max looked like he was thinking it through for a second but then his expression turned cold. "No. What they did to me—I still have nightmares! I'm still scared all the time, like I'm just waiting for their next beating! I'm just tired of being scared."

He got up and went towards the stairs but Sam got in front of him. "No, don't you get it? It won't. The nightmares won't end, Max, not like this. It's just more pain. And it makes you as bad as them. Max, you don't have to go through all this by yourself."

Max stared at him and it sounded like he apologized. But I wasn't really sure. I was behind him and I couldn't exactly make out the whispering. But suddenly Sam was being thrown back into a closet and a large cupboard was placed in front of it.

Max then turned to me and I stood there shifting on my feet, my hands slowly coming before me. "Max please don't this. Sam is right. The nightmares won't stop honey. They'll get worse and worse until they eat you alive. Until you're already dead inside." He was walking towards me slowly. "We could get you some help."

"Come on." He pulled out the gun and motioned towards the stairs. "You seem like a nice girl. And I don't want to hurt you so please…go." He emphasized on the word 'go' and I nodded gong past him and up the stairs.

I could swear I was getting a headache again as I ascended the stairs but it wasn't nearly as bad as before so I shook it off. Max pressed the gun into my back as I pushed open the door. Dean was kneeling next to Ms. Miller holding a washcloth to her head. He stood and I winced feeling the gun move against my head.

"Stay back." Max warned.

"Let her go Max. She's the only one who truly wanted to help you." Dean tried. I could feel Max hesitate behind me but the gun pressed farther against my skull. I grunted in pain and tried telling Dean not to come any closer.

"Stay back. It's not about you."

I turned quickly and the gun was now pressing against my forehead.

"No." I heard Dean swear.

"If you wanna kill her, you gotta go through me first." I said looking at Max straight in the eyes.

Max was looking past me and at Dean I'm guessing. I don't know what Dean was doing but Max was staring at him, hesitating on pulling the trigger.

"Do you love her?" Max asked Dean.

I turned slightly and saw Dean out of the corner of my eye. He nodded and pleadingly looked at Max. "Yeah I do."

Max looked at the floor and then at me. "I don't know what that is…"

My heart ached for him. He had a rough life that he didn't deserve and I realized that my life could have been exactly the same. Mine and the Winchesters. Both of our mothers died and our fathers could have screwed us to hell, just like Max's had done. We were both really lucky and I hadn't noticed how lucky until right then.

Suddenly Sam appeared behind Max. "No, don't! Don't! Please. Please, Max. Max, we can help you, alright?" While Max was distracted Dean pulled me back and stood in front of me, blocking me from a bullets path again. "But this—what you're doing—it's not the solution. It's not gonna fix anything."

"You're right." Max said and I sighed in relief. Unfortunately it was short lived because he suddenly turned the gun on himself and let loose a shot. I gasped and Dean turned, pulling me against him. I buried my head in his shoulder as he held me.

All of us were stunned and Dean couldn't stop kissing my head and rocking me in his arms.

0o0o0o0o

We talked to the police for about twenty minutes explaining what happened. We headed out to the car and I leaned against the car door, just looking at the both of them.

Sam shook his head. "If I just said somethin' else. Gotten through to him somehow."

"Don't do that." Dean said, standing next me and putting an arm around my waist. He leaned against the car door as well. "Don't torture yourself. It wouldn't have mattered what you said, Max was too far gone."

"Well, I'll tell you one thing—we're lucky we had the fathers that we did. We all could have had a worse childhood like Max's. All things considered, we turned out okay—thanks to our dads."

Dean nodded. "All things considered."

We headed back to the motel room to gather our things and get the hell out of dodge.

"Dean, I've been thinking." Sam said gaining our attention. "Why would this demon, or whatever it is, why would it kill Mom and Jessica and Max's mother, you know, what does it want?"

"No idea." Dean said ending the conversation.

But Sam kept bringing stuff up. "When Max locked me in that closet, that big cabinet against the door—I moved it."

Dean laughed. "You've got a little bit more upper body strength than I give you credit for."

"No, man, I moved it—like Max."

Dean just looked at Sam and then to me. He then held up a spoon. "Bend this."

I smacked Dean on the chest and took the stupid spoon from him. Sam rolled his eyes. "I can't turn it on and off, Dean."

"Well, I'm sure it won't happen again." Dean was horrible at this whole reassuring thing sometimes.

"Yeah, maybe. Aren't you worried, man, aren't you worried that I could turn into Max or something?"

Dean scoffed, handing me a bag to put in the car. "Nope. No way. You know why?" Sam shook his head no. "Cause you've got one advantage that Max didn't have."

Sam looked at him disbelievingly. "Dad? Because Dad's not here, Dean."

"No. Me." Dean smiled and I went outside to put the bag in the trunk. I came back to the doorway and leaned against the frame. "As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you."

I smiled slightly at Dean's brotherly moment. Sam nodded and passed me to get in the car.

"Hey."

He turned to look at me and smiled. "Hey."

"You know what we haven't done in a while?" I asked him walking towards him slowly.

Dean raised his eyebrows. "You think of this now? We're getting rid of the room."

I rolled my eyes and smacked his chest. "No you idiot. Is that all you ever think about?" Dean shrugged. "This." I leaned in and kissed him passionately on the mouth and he dropped the bag he was holding and wrapped his arms around my waist. I pushed him back on the bed and his one hand came up to cup my face and pull my mouth closer to his, if that was even possible.

"Oh and by the way, I love you too."

Dean smiled slightly. "Don't ever do that again."

"What?"

"Get in the line of fire like that. I can't loose you Andy. I forbid it."

I giggled at that even though he was being totally serious. "Dean. You and I both know it doesn't work that way."

"Well, its going to have to. I'm not loosing you, I demand to go first."

The statement upset me a little but I let it go. I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. We'd go together, whether he liked it or not. But for now… "Okay, you can go first."

My cell phone started vibrating in my pocket and Dean looked at me entertainingly. "You really that happy to see me?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed him off the bed. He landed with a thud and reached up and pulled me down with him.

"Hey, watch it!" I said laughing.

"You started it."

"You'll finish it with pulling my stitches."

He helped me stand with that one and grabbed my bags to take them outside. The number was unknown on my phone but I answered it anyways. "Hello?" There was no answer. Only heavy breathing. My eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "Hello?" I asked again. "Who is this?"

"Andy?" The other person asked. "I don't know where I am."

I looked up at Dean coming through the doorway. "Jason?"

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

The Benders

Uh oh, will Andy be able to find Jason?

Is he still the same person?


	30. Chapter 29: The Benders Part 1

shorter but ehh, its the starting. reviews love. i hope its okay, tell me what you think.

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 29: The Benders Part 1

"Hello?" My eyebrows crinkled in confusion. I hoped for their sake they planned on saying something soon. If Dean walked back in and thought someone was fooling around with me on the other end, it wouldn't end well. "Who is this?"

"Andy?" That voice. I knew who it was I just couldn't place it. "I don't know where I am."

Oh God. My head shot up in realization and I saw Dean looking at me confused in the doorway. "Jason."

Dean came towards me, trying to get me to tell him what was going on and I shook my head, trying to shake him off. Get him to back up, something. He was making me feel claustrophobic and I needed to stop shaking to ask Jason questions.

"Wait, Jason calm down. You sure you have no idea? Look around you."

I could hear him shift and maybe move the phone to another ear. "I…I'm not sure…" He swore under his breath.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"The time is running—" Suddenly there was a shrill beeping and the line went dead. I stood there looking at the phone. I pulled it back from my ear as if I wasn't really convinced it'd gone dead.

"Hey, what is it?" Dean asked, coming up to hold my shoulders. I just kept staring at the phone. "Andy." He said shaking my shoulders. "Look at me."

I looked at him slowly and he took the phone from my hand, put it up to his ear and closed it, putting his hands back around my shoulders. "What happened?"

"Jason called. He sounded really freaked out Dean. I think something's wrong, the line went dead."

"You're shaking." He said softly pulling me close to him. I knew he was kind of ignoring the fact that I had said Jason. First of all he probably thought I was jumping to conclusions and secondly he didn't like Jason; jealousy and pigheadedness taking over the main part of his brain.

"He was so scared." I said snuggling into the safeness of Dean's arms. He drew himself tighter around me. "I need to find him."

"Did he tell you where he was?" His voice was rough. I guess I had to just take comfort in his touch this time because his voice was telling me everything.

I shook my head. "The line went dead." Did he understand that part yet? "Maybe I can figure out the area code. I'm guessing it's a payphone."

Sam now came through the doorway looking tired and irritated. "Guys, I know cuddling is part of this whole relationship thing but can we…" He stopped seeing Dean was comforting, not cuddling and Dean pulled back on seeing Sam. "What's wrong?"

"Jason called me; I think he's in trouble."

Sam nodded and shut the door. "Like your vision?"

I shook my head stubbornly. "Like my nightmare."

I could see Sam trying to tread gently on the subject and all of a sudden I felt too fragile. "Well I mean, my nightmares have been known to be visions Andy."

"No," I interrupted. This wasn't about _his_ nightmares. "Jason is not going to turn into that. Some kind of monster."

"Nobody said that Andy." Dean said.

I pulled back from him and ran a hand through my hair. "But that's what you're trying to say. That my nightmares are visions and Jason is going to stab me. To kill me!" I was yelling now, frustrated and angry tears clouding my vision.

I knew where this initial anger was coming from and a hundred bucks Dean and Sam knew too. After all they were glancing at each other and then back at me. It had everything to do with me not being able to save people. My mom, my dad, hell even Dean at one point and now there was Jason. All he ever did ever since I had known him was try to love and care for me and I basically screwed him time and time again. Not that I wasn't happy with Dean, I made my choice and stood by it one hundred and ten percent. I meant before that. Back when I had met him and we were in love. I left him with barely a word and left a stupid note that said I needed time and that I was on a road trip.

"Okay…" Dean said taking a deep breath. "We'll do everything we can to find him alright?" He was walking towards me cautiously. Like I was some dangerous insect. "Just breath okay. You're starting to scare me."

I looked up at him and searched his face. Dean could fake a lot of things if the situation called for it. But his eyes couldn't lie and he was genuinely scared. "I'm sorry." I said quietly. "Let's just get in the car."

Sam and Dean stood there for a second, I could see them as I closed the backseat door. They were looking at each other, thinking the same thing I'm sure.

For some reason it was a long drive to the next diner. I swear Dean was scoping out a certain one or something. Not that there had been many places to stop between where we had left and where we were going. I could remember one gas station and a run down laundry mat. Why the hell would you need your laundry done in the middle of nowhere? I guess if you lived in the woods you'd need it. My mind ran over random possibilities in my head until I heard Sam say something to me.

"What?" I hadn't meant to snap, but I was highly aggravated.

"Hunting ABC."

I rolled my eyes at the stupid car game. It was either hunting ABC or Impala bingo. I hated that one more. I hated Bingo when it had numbers, what made them think I wanted to look for random road kill to put on my Bingo sheet?

"We're on B. I said Banshee."

Basically someone said the next letter and a demon or some other kind of supernatural thing and you had to know how to kill it or what it was used for. If you didn't you had to buy whatever was next at the diner. Which was oddly moronic; we all used the damn fake credit cards. But when you're traveling with the biggest eight and four year olds it came down to the statement 'I know more than you'.

"Silver bullet." I grumbled. "C, Charun."

Eh so I had been reading into demons lately. So what? The game couldn't say I couldn't name a specific. Plus I was feeling a bit bitchy so bend the rules a bit. If Dean could name the demon's function good enough for me.

"Escorts the dead to the final destination." Apparently Dean had been reading over my shoulder a couple times.

"D, Death Apparitions."

Sam cleared his throat, leaning against the window. "Um, spirits that don't want revenge necessarily but justice." He pursed his lips for a moment. "Echoes."

"That's cheating. Death echoes begin with a D." I sniped. Regularly I'd let that slide, especially since I knew what Death Echoes were.

Sam sighed, irritated. I think my attitude was tensioning the whole car. "Fine, entity."

"General sense of being. Usually used to refer to ghosts or spirits. Which you get rid of by burning and salting the bones."

I think we got to around R by the time we pulled into the parking lot of the diner. And I was ABC'd out. They were fighting whether Reaper was hardly a choice for R seeing as how you couldn't kill death. I rolled my eyes and slammed the Impala door shut. Seeing as how they made up the rules of Hunting ABC themselves I couldn't understand why they were fighting about it.

I waited for the guys before we got seated. They both shut up about the damn game when they entered the diner. No job screaming in public. Thank God it was a silent rule. Although in this diner, I'm sure they could talk about anything and wouldn't be heard. It was mostly filled with old people, working and eating. I looked to Dean as an old woman led us to our booth.

"Are you sure you drove us to a diner and not an old folks home?"

Dean smiled and shrugged, not wanting to say anything in front of the lady. He amazed me sometimes. He'd say rude things in front of people who could actually hear all the time but his comebacks were nonexistent when it came to people who were going deaf. Unbelievable.

I slid into the booth, Sam taking the seat next to me and I grimaced as I realized there was a ton of dirt and dust covering the window sill next to me. I tried to be optimistic to the fact that the window was clean enough to see out of but who knew the last time this place was actually dusted.

Dean ordered eggs, toast and bacon; great for your heart and Sam ordered chocolate chip pancakes. I wondered what was with the whole breakfast thing.

"Anything for you dear?" The, I'm guessing, sixty year old woman asked.

I pushed the unopened menu at her, accidently knocking over the salt and pepper shakers. "No, nothing for me."

The woman smiled politely even though I was being a jackass and took the menus to go put our order in.

"You need to eat something Andy." Dean said. "And you didn't need to flip the menu at the waitress either. She looks like she's about to keel over anyways."

I saw him glance towards the kitchen to make sure our waitress was no where near the table.

"Come on Andy." Sam said, touching my forearm to get my attention. It was a friendly concerning touch; didn't last for more than three moments either. But I could tell that Dean didn't like it anyways. He was just jealous over everything today wasn't he? It didn't used to sway me, this whole jealousy thing. Maybe I just hadn't really noticed it before. I mean it told me that Dean loved me and that he wanted to make sure I was his. But he sometimes crossed the line into childish envy. I think that's what irritated me. "Dean's right, you have to eat something."

"I'm not hungry." I said blatantly.

Dean sighed just now noticing the shakers were still knocked over and reached to sit them back up. Sam watched him and then turned to me again. He wasn't just going to let it go was he? Was I ever this annoying? Well maybe I was being that annoying right now and this was just the feedback. "Come on, there's chocolate in my pancakes. I got at least three, have one of them."

He knew I couldn't resist chocolate, damn him. "Fine."

Sam just nodded, probably pleased with himself he got me to eat something. It was kind of cheating though, seeing as how there was chocolate in it. How can I deny that?

"So do you think Jason will call back?"

I looked up at Dean. I really didn't want to fight with him but for some reason it felt like a nerve was being hit. "What do you care?"

Sam glanced up at Dean to peg his reaction. Dean just sat back in his seat, putting his arm up to rest on top of the booth. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You care about it, that means its important to me too."

I rolled my eyes and sat back with a huff. Why was I being such a jerk about this all of a sudden? "You didn't like him to begin with, don't give me that crap. We're not making a big deal to find him. We're sitting here in an old folks home!"

"Andy, calm down a bit." Sam said quietly, glancing around at the other people.

Dean sat up now. It looked like he wanted to reach over the table and grab me. "That's not the reason I don't want to find him. I just think we should have all the information before we go gallivanting into a trap of some kind. You know this, why are you giving me such a hard time?"

I stood up halfway, indicating that I wanted the hell out of the booth. Sam stood and let me out but Dean was right on my heels. I saw Sam ask the waitress for to go bags and the check.

"Andy," Dean said, barely grabbing my arm. I pulled from his grasp and started walking down past the parking lot to leave. He caught up with me and got a firm hold on me this time. He spun me around. "Would you stop that? Stop moving and talk to me?" I sighed, standing there. "Now you've been a bitch ever since we left the motel. I don't know what I've done exactly but you have to look at it from where I see it alright? You seem so ready to throw yourself in the line of fire for this guy. Honestly? Its pretty upsetting."

"I just…"

He grabbed my shoulder. "You just what?"

"I don't want to loose someone else. Okay? I have a chance, I have a head start. To save him Dean. I don't want to screw it up."

Dean cupped my cheek. "You can't save everyone Andy. It's not possible. I'm not saying that we can't help Jason, that we can't save him. I'm saying that if you end up killing yourself by walking into a trap, that's not helping anything. And I'm not doing it Andy. I'm not just gonna watch you walk into something like that. Alright?"

He was pulling me closer to him, like I'd understand it more that way. I nodded and he kissed me on the lips, putting his arms around my waist. I held onto him tightly and took in the comfort of his arms and scent.

We walked hand in hand back to the Impala, where Sam was waiting for us. He was leaning against the car and I smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"You okay?" he asked me.

"Sorry I'm a bitch."

Sam laughed, making me feel a whole lot better. "You're a girl. You're entitled to have bitchy moments."

"Oh yeah? What's Dean's excuse."

Sam sighed when Dean glared at me. "It's his time of the month."

"You two are so hilarious. It's making me sick really." Dean added getting into the car.

Sam handed me the to go box with the pancakes in it and I took it gratefully. "Oh you mean like the kind of sick when you two are sucking each other's faces? Cause I can relate to that one."

I got in the passenger seat and Dean all of a sudden assaulted me with his lips. His tongue was gently prying into my mouth and I almost spilt the pancakes on myself. He pulled back leaving me, needless to say, breathless and hot. "That kind of sucking face? Because there's many versions I get confused."

I smiled at Dean and glanced back at Sam. He was looking out the window and holding his stomach. "Yep, that's exactly what I'm talking about."

I giggled, opening the box. "So do we have a job or what?" I asked my mouth full of pancakes.

"Something else that's sickening." Dean mused and I shoved him, making him laugh.

"I heard something about a man disappearing from under his car in Hibbing, Minnesota. Might be worth checking out." Sam said and I leaned back, closing the box and setting it on the floor.

Dean nodded and started the car. "So R?"

I groaned. Not this one again. "Not Reaper. Rakshasa."

"Blade made of brass." Sam spoke up. "Salt."

"Spirit deterrent, purity reasons, protection…" Dean thought for a moment, turning the car. "T…Tundra…"

I smirked. "That's a tree growth Dean."

"Could be of supernatural beginnings." Dean tried and I laughed.

"You've got nothing. Your new punishment is to think of a new game and the buying of cinnamon pop tarts. And whatever Sam wants."

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam's smile. "You're whipped dude."

"Shut. Up." Dean said angrily but he probably knew that was a bit true.

The car was silent after that except for the occasional whipping noise Sam was making. I swore Dean was going to pull the car over and whip Sam with his fist.

"Okay the new game is…how much do you love your girlfriend?" He smiled cockily at me and I rolled my eyes, hitting him slightly.

"Dude you're not getting out of getting me pop tarts." I gave him an affectionate smile and let a hand rest on his thigh, occasionally rubbing his skin gently.

"Road kill Bingo is all I got." Dean said a bit of a whine at the end of his voice.

I shook my head and Sam groaned from the back. "Not that again. You cheated by hitting those three squirrels last time."

Dean shook his head. "Those things were already dead."

I looked at him incredulously, making him smile. "Nuh-uh, they were still moving!"

He leaned over and kissed my cheek and nose before looking back at the road and I leaned my head against his shoulder.

A few hours went by, gas stations, pit stops, and games went by in a blur. The whole roadside scene looking the same as the minutes went on. Then as we entered Hibbing, my cell phone began to vibrate in my pocket. Dean and I were in the back now, Sam driving. I shook Dean to wake him and he sat up alarmed.

"Dean, I think its Jason."

He looked at me stare at the phone. "You going to answer it?" I nodded but made no movement to. "You want me to do it?" he asked taking my hand gently.

I shook my head no, flipping open the phone. I brought it to my ear. "Hello?" I asked.

"Andy? I keep loosing time. I…"

"Jason its okay, calm down. Where are you?"

"I think… Hibbing? There's a sign on the motel door." It was ironic to me that he could now figure out where he was, seeing as how he couldn't do it before.

I looked at Dean questioningly. Was it is just me that Jason was in Hibbing just like us? I don't think big fat coincidences were made to happen when living the life we did. Having the same shampoo and car was a coincidence. Ending up at the same place when you just mentioned you desperately needed to find someone was not.

"Alright. What motel?" I asked him.

"Outlet Motel."

I nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I can." I hung up and squeezed Dean's hand tightly. "Guys this can't be a coincidence. He's in Hibbing, in a motel. Not with us right, can't be just some random turn of events?"

"Maybe we're having some good luck." Sam said trying to be the glass half full.

Dean took the glass and shattered it. "Yeah, except when it comes to us… our lucks all bad."

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

The Benders epsiode will start

Andy finds Jason


	31. Chapter 30: The Benders Part 2

thank you for all the amazing reviews! espcially my constant reviewers! hugs and kisses!

enjoy :D

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Chapter 30: The Benders Part 2

hooked

"I don't like this guys." I commented as Sam pulled up in front of the Outlet Motel. The windows were open slightly and it smelled like rain outside. I guess that was kind of a duh moment seeing as how the sky was gray and I was pretty sure I could hear thunder in the distance.

"Is this the same motel from your dream?" Sam asked, surveying the small porches.

I leaned over Dean to take a look out the window. I wasn't sure to be honest. I had only seen the inside of the room, not what everything looked like outside. Even if I was looking at the inside I wasn't sure I'd remember. I hadn't been too preoccupied by what the room at looked like at the time.

"I don't know." I said pulling back. "I don't think so, I…it was hard to tell I mean those aren't exactly the details I was paying attention to. Maybe we should come back."

"We can take a look around. See if he's here or not." I looked at Dean warily. "Don't you want to know if he's even here?"

I nodded meekly. I was so terrified that something was wrong with him, that I wouldn't be able to help him or save him. Besides that, I was also terrified that he was some evil thing and that my nightmare would come true. I tried convincing myself that that couldn't happen because Sam and Dean were right there. My nights in shining armor; but they'd been in the dream too and it still ended badly.

"Come on." Dean said taking my hand and pulling me out of the car. "I won't leave your side. Promise." He squeezed my hand tightly trying to quell my obvious fear. I smiled in thanks and I looked to Sam who was a bit ahead of us.

"Sam." I called and he turned. "This time let's just stay close alright?" He nodded and waited for us to catch up with him. "He mentioned he was staying in a room so go to the front desk?" I asked.

Dean shrugged and motioned his head towards the door. "Unless he didn't stay under his own name."

"That doesn't sound like him."

"Well you said he didn't sound right so maybe he put himself under another name from paranoia. And a nice one not like Herman Munster."

"Hey, watch it." Dean said glaring at Sam. I smiled as Sam held open the door for us. Herman Munster was one of his favorite fake identities. I think he had even changed his voicemail to say it.

"Excuse me?" I asked the man at the desk when we approached it but he never looked up. I looked to Dean and he shrugged. Maybe he hadn't heard me? The man seemed a little older than forty and he honestly looked like he lived in a trailer park. He was short with an unkempt beard and long greasy hair that fell over his shoulders. He also seemed very transfixed with whatever was on his computer screen. "Hello?" I asked, a little louder this time.

"Slow dialup?" Dean suddenly asked and amazingly he got his attention. The man looked up at him and nodded. Ok, ew.

He looked back at the screen for a moment and started to tap his fingers impatiently on the counter. "You have no idea." His voice was rough and sleazy. It's the kind of voice you'd expect him to have.

I cleared my throat, obviously uncomfortable and I could see a smile growing on Dean's face. "Well I'm sure by the time you're done helping me your page will be loaded."

"Waiting for a video."

Sam's eyebrows raised and I grimaced. "I didn't need to know that."

The guy looked at me now, his attitude apparently changing and I all of a sudden felt very uncomfortable in the tank top I had on. He leaned over the counter. "I'll be happy to help you any way I can."

I smiled, but only because I was highly entertained and I was pretty sure that Dean didn't find the situation all that funny now. Now that he was hitting on me. He squeezed my hand suggestively, inferring to the fact that if this guy got any closer to looking down my low cut top he'd be watching his uploaded video through a black eye.

"Did a guy about…" I motioned to Dean. "his height, sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, check in in the last few days? He might be under Jason Bey."

The guy, who I was now nicknaming Trailer Joe, backed up off the counter and started clicking around on his computer. "This guy an old boyfriend of yours?"

"Something like that." Was _so_ not getting into that with Dean and Sam standing right there. Besides it was none of his business either.

Trailer Joe rolled his eyes and typed something on the keyboard. "Alright, Jason Bey, room 121."

"Everything alright with the room? No complaints with neighbors or housekeeping?" Sam asked.

"Doesn't seem to be. He's mostly quiet, I've never seen him leave his room more than twice."

"How long as he been here?" I asked quietly.

Trailer Joe looked at the computer. "Not more than two days." He then reached his hand out on the counter and I looked at Dean and Sam incredulously. Apparently he wanted a tip for clicking the freakin' mouse. Dean sighed irritated and let go of my hand to get out his wallet. He handed him a five and he pocketed it. It'd probably buy him two beers or a really cheap porno. I'm sure he'd split it between the two.

As we went towards the hallways of rooms I hooked myself onto Dean's arm and rested my head there. He left a kiss on my head and smiled slightly.

"What?" I asked him.

"I don't know Andy, with pickings like that, sure you made the right choice?"

"Shut up and walk Dean."

Dean laughed as we turned the corner to head up the stairs, Sam closely behind. "You know if he was on Busty Asian Beauties dot com they have this deal…"

"If you finish that sentence you'll be sleeping in the bathtub tonight Dean."

I heard Sam smirk as Dean clamped his mouth shut. We made it up to room 121 and stood outside for a moment. I think they were waiting for me to go first and knock.

Dean kissed the side of my head, pulling my waist against him. "You're okay."

"And we're both right here, alright?" Sam reassured me. Or at least he was trying to. Ever since I had heard Jason say he was at a motel my nightmare kept playing over and over in my head.

I nodded and walked up to the door, Dean holding my hand. I knocked but nothing happened, I didn't even hear anything move on the inside. It was 121; we were at the right room. Maybe he wasn't there.

I knocked louder causing the door to shift partly open and I looked back at Dean and Sam unsure. Dean pressed pass me to venture first. I could see he was making sure he had his gun ready in case anything jumped out of nowhere. I stood back with Sam and he smiled at me comfortingly.

"Jason?" I called out looking around the room. Someone had obviously been here. The bed was unmade and there were papers and food containers scattering the floor. I leaned down and picked some papers up as Dean and Sam scanned the room. I sat on the bed looking over the papers, confused. There was one word written in list form on all the papers in different languages.

Gelb. Jaune. Geel. Tsah-hov. Giallo. Zhyóltiy. Amarillo…there were a ton more. But the last one caught my eye. I knew what it was it was on the tip of my tongue. Amarillo. I ran it over in my head. Right, Amarillo. It was the Spanish word for the color yellow. All the other words must have been the color in different languages. Wait a minute what did yellow have anything to do with Jason?

"What's that?" Dean asked coming closer to me.

"He has the word yellow written over and over again in at least a hundred different languages."

Dean's head shot to Sam and I could see Sam's eyes widen ever so slightly. "What?" I asked setting the papers on the side.

Dean pulled my arm to get me to stand up off the bed. "We have to go. We have to go right now." He sounded urgent. Like the room might explode.

"Wait, guys what's going on?"

"We'll explain in the car." Sam said now pushing me out in the hallway as Dean closed the door. They kept pushing me towards the stairs until I stopped short, making one run into the other.

"No, you'll tell me now." I looked at Dean who was nervously looking at Jason's door and down the hall. "Please?" Knew he couldn't resist that. That's one of the reasons I loved him. He generally listened to me, especially when I begged.

Dean sighed. "The demon who killed your mom and our mom…"

"And Jess." Sam added somberly.

Dean nodded sympathetically. "It had yellow eyes."

"Wait, how…"

"Dad's journal. He wrote millions of notes when he was tracking the damn thing. Any thing he found out on it he wrote down. Unfortunately its not enough for us to track it."

"And you're telling me this now?!" I fumed. They'd _kill_ me if I kept something like that from them.

Dean rolled his eyes grabbing my arm and pulling me down the stairs. "Well I didn't really think it was relevant till now."

"How can you think something like that isn't relevant?" I asked angrily.

I could tell I was annoying him because he completely ignored my question. Instead he addressed Trailer Joe with a nice, 'How's the video there?'. Trailer Joe barely nodded and Sam rolled his eyes at Dean's question.

"And don't give me the crap that you were trying to protect me." I countered trying to see this from an angle Dean would. He opened the car door and waited for me to get in. But he didn't say anything, just waited.

I crossed my arms over my chest and refused. "Well?"

Dean just looked at me. "Well what? You said I'm not allowed to say protection and that was my reason. It always is." I heard him add quietly.

I looked at Sam and he shrugged slightly, telling me to give him a break. "I just, I wish you would have told me that's all. You wouldn't like it if I kept information from you."

Dean gave me this look and I couldn't really judge whether I deserved it or not. It basically said 'you already have kept information from me, so why can't I?'

"Okay, I guess I deserve that. But I don't keep anything from you anymore. Its kind of a deal I made with myself."

Dean nodded and smiled. "So honestly?" I nodded. "You had sex with porno in there didn't you?"

I looked at him incredulously and Sam burst out in laughter.

"Come on, don't deny it. I saw the way you were looking at him."

I came up and smacked him on the chest and tried getting in the car but he grabbed my arm at the last minute and pulled me back up. He pulled my back to him and held me close against his chest.

"Yeah?" I asked as I saw Sam circle the car and get in the back. "You see the way I look at you?"

Dean grinned. "Well we already know you've had sex with me."

I rolled my eyes, leaning up to kiss him. He cupped my face and kissed me gently. "Alright, lets get out here. Go question the kid."

Dean nodded, holding open the passenger door for me. As we pulled away from the motel I had this over whelming feeling that I was being watched.

0o0o0o0o

"So basically we got a scared kid who thinks its either Godzilla or…that Moth one…he thinks that they kidnapped his neighbor?"

Sam shook his head. "Not one of those specifically. Just a monster."

"Mothra." Dean filled in.

I smiled getting out of the car at Kegel's Keg. "Right, what a geek."

Dean put on this mocked face like he was hurt which I ignored and followed Sam into the bar.

"So, local police have now ruled out foul play. Apparently, there are worse signs of a struggle." Sam mused, sitting at the table and nursing his one beer.

Dean and I had had at least three each in the last two hours and now were trying to play darts for driving privileges. Even though we both knew Sam would be the one driving home.

"Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping. Maybe this isn't our kind of gig." Dean said ending the sentence with a laugh of amazement.

"Yes." I said smiling. "Bulls eye."

"How the hell did you do that?" He asked me. "You've got to be buzzier than I am."

"More buzzed." Sam corrected, not looking up form the stack of papers.

Dean turned looking at him shortly. "Thanks mother hen."

Sam continued the last statement, taking a sip of his beer. "Yeah, maybe not. Except for this—Dad marked the area, Dean."

Dean now turned and came to the table. I came up behind him, laying my head against his back.

"Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker." I observed looking around his arm.

"He found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too—this county has more missing persons per capital than anywhere else in the state." Sam said.

"Don't phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds? That guy Jenkins was taken from a parking lot."

Sam shrugged and I took another sip of beer, I accomplished in not being able to feel my toes. "Well, there are all kinds. You know, Springhill Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime. Look I don't know if this is our kind of gig either."

"We should ask around more tomorrow." Dean said coming up behind me to put his arms around my waist. I was trying to aim another dart into a bulls eye. If I did this, I'd win. I technically wouldn't win anything but the satisfaction was enough.

But Dean was a cheater, and he started to kiss my neck and his hands started drifting up and down my waist. "Stop…" I said not really wanting him to stop at all.

Dean smiled. "Say it like you mean it and I just might."

"We should get back to the motel." Sam said and I took that moment when Dean was somewhat distracted and threw the dart. I grinned happily as it hit the bulls eye again.

Dean groaned and pulled back. "Lucky we weren't betting money. You'd clean me out Andy."

"We should get an early start." Sam said standing and gathering things on the table.

"Yeah, you really know how to have fun, don't you, Grandma?" Dean asked cocking his head at Sam and Sam smiled. "Alright, I'll meet you outside, I gotta take a leak."

Sam nodded and he headed for the door. "Hey wait up Sam." He hesitated at the door and nodded, standing and waiting. "I think you should have bet something." I said now looking at Dean.

Dean chuckled slipping his coat on. "Yeah, you say that now. You've won."

"I know, I'm saying I deserve something. Some type of trophy for my winnings"

Dean looked at me surprised. "Well, well. Now look who's cocky."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my chin on his chest, looking up at him as he fixed his collar on his coat.

"How bout television privileges?" Dean asked and I glared at him. "That a no?" He laughed at my expression and leaned in and gave me a long kiss. "How bout a shower?"

I smiled knowing he'd be the one helping me 'reach for the soap'. "Now we're getting somewhere." I kissed him one more time and he squeezed me appreciatively. "I'll meet you outside."

I headed to the door and looked at a tired Sam. "Sorry." I said meekly and he nodded giving me a smile that was all too fake.

"I'm glad he's found someone that can really keep him in place." Sam offered and I smiled.

"Thanks."

We walked back to the car and hesitated hearing a noise. Realizing it was just a cat and laughing how stupid we'd acted around it, we started to unlock the car.

"Nothing like a demonic cat to get your blood pumping." I said sarcastically.

Sam nodded, laughing. Then out of nowhere Sam was crying out in pain. I went to move around the car but something like an anvil hit me upside the side of my head. I slumped to the ground darkness threatening to take over my vision. I heard laughing, sinister and entertained. I felt myself being dragged away from the Impala. Darkness was winning, I was suddenly incredibly tired. Someone picked me up and propped me up in the back of a truck? Was that it? Sam was being toppled on top of me.

I heard yelling. I was pretty sure it was my name. My name and Sam's. But I couldn't do a damn thing about it. Sam's body felt so heavy on mine and I thought he was dead. The last thing that came to my head was Dean. And how scared he was going to be when he didn't find me or Sam and the parking lot. The truck went black.

0o0o0o0o

Reviews help my brain move the story along :D


	32. Chapter 31: The Benders Part 3

okay, i made this long. please review and enjoy :D

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Chapter 31: The Benders Part 3

The first thing I felt was metal. Cold hard metal underneath me. It was making me shake. Then I felt myself being lifted into someone's arms. I really didn't care who it was at the moment. They were holding me close and rubbing my back and arms, keeping me warm.

"Andy?" I knew that voice. I opened my eyes a bit.

"Sam?" I asked, my voice hoarse and shaking.

"You're freezing; I'm trying to keep you warm."

I wonder if he knew how many times Dean had said that to me. I shook my head trying to clear my head of the haze. It felt like it was full of cotton. "Where are we?" I asked snuggling closer into the warmth of Sam's arms.

"I'm guessing the thing that kidnapped Jenkins got us too." He shook me after I started to drift off. I sat up irritated and awake. "You can't fall asleep Andy, you might have a concussion alright? Stay with me. Um, what's the last thing you remember?"

"We were outside and…and we heard rattling. It ended up being a cat…" I sat up straight, almost hitting my head off the top of the cage we were crammed it. "Oh God, Dean. Dean is he here?"

Sam shook his head sadly. "No, but don't worry. You know Dean, he'll find us. One crazy way or another."

After a few more rounds of 'Concussion Questionnaire' I think Sam was convinced I wasn't falling asleep. I shifted my legs under me, bringing my knees to my chest. It was a small cage I'm surprised Sam wasn't going crazy without stretching his long legs out. I started feeling dizzy and I was really hot now. Crap, crap and more crap.

"Andy, don't shut your eyes." He sounded fully irritated now. He'd told me that hundreds of times now.

I shook my head and laid it against his chest. "I'm feeling really claustrophobic." My voice was streaked with worry because every time I opened my eyes things were smaller. The walls would shake and move closer, trying to swallow me whole.

Sam squeezed my shoulders, trying to get me through the worst of it. "Just calm down alright. The rooms really big and the walls aren't really moving. I would know, I would see it too." He laughed slightly, making me smile. He was right. I just needed to take a few deep breaths and I'd be alright.

"The cage doesn't look too hard to open." I observed now opening my eyes. Sam still kept me close and looked around.

"I already tried kicking it down. It's no use."

"Have you tried luring anything down to open it?" I wondered if that question really made sense.

"We don't know what has us Andy, if we do that we could be worse off then we are now."

"What do you mean what has us?" Someone spoke up from across the room. Sam and I squinted out of the cage. There was another cage, smaller seeing as how there was only one person in it.

"What are they? Have you seen them?" Sam asked.

"What are you talking about?" The man asked us, a 'you're crazy' edge in his voice.

"You're Alvin Jenkins aren't you?" I asked quietly and the man nodded. "Well not that this will come of much of a comfort but we were looking for you."

"Well, no offense, but this is a piss-poor rescue." He added and I nodded. No shit. We were locked in a cage in God knows where, waiting for Dean. I couldn't help but loose hope gathering that information. But seeing as how we were the two most important people in Dean's life. He'd find us. One way or another. I didn't believe in God or miracles that would save us at any time during this job. But if I believed in anything, I believed in Dean. Always would.

"What did those things look like?" Sam asked again, really wanting to know what we were dealing with.

"See for yourself."

The door suddenly opened behind us and two men wearing black coats and hunting hats walked in. One came to the side of the cage and waited for the other to go to a panel of buttons. When one of the buttons were pressed and a key was inserted Jenkins's cage opened and food was set down for him. He closed the door and Jenkins's jumped for his food like he'd never seen it before and Sam's arm tightened around my waist as one of the men approached our cage. Sam and I couldn't believe our eyes.

"I'll be damned." Sam whispered mostly to himself.

Damned all over again. It was just a man. A dirty looking hillbilly with really rotten teeth but just a man nonetheless. He reached inside and wrapped his hand around my hair. He suddenly jerked it making me cry out in pain.

"Let her go!" Sam bellowed.

He didn't though, just pulled harder and tears started coursing down my face. He finally succeeded in pulling out a few strands of my hair. I collapsed against Sam not expecting the jerk to suddenly let me go. I guess he was satisfied with pulling off half my damn scalp.

"You alright?" Sam asked me.

I shook my head no, feeling the pained place where my hair had been pulled out. I wanted Dean. Sam pulled me close, trying to comfort but it wasn't the same. I needed Dean; I needed his leather jacket, his musky scent and his strong arms encircling me.

The men left after that, taking my hair with them. I shook my head looking between the panel and the cages. I wondered if there was any way to unlock the cages without the key.

"I can't believe they're just people." I whispered trying to focas on the job instead of the throbbing pain in my head and the aching in my heart.

Sam nodded; I think he knew I was doing this on purpose. And thank God he was one to play along. I looked down at the pendant circling my neck. I reached up to touch it and run my fingers over it. Protective coin kind of made me laugh now. Bang up job it was doing. I got bashed on the head, kidnapped and my hair pulled out. I'd have to tell Dean to get a refund, if he still could. Although as I looked at Sam, trying to maneuver his hand out side of the cage I realized it was doing something. I wasn't dead yet.

Sam changed the subject, looking at Jenkins. "How often do they feed you?"

"Once a day."

"And that's the only time you see them?" I asked, shifting.

Jenkins nodded. "So far."

Sam was leaning up through the cage to grab a long metal wire stretching from the top of a pole to the ground. He tried jerking it down. "What do you think they want, then?" I asked Sam, pulling him down to whisper.

Sam shrugged. "Depends on who they are."

"Well apparently they want my freakin hair." I winced rubbing my head.

Sam smiled slightly. "Right, they're a bunch of psycho hillbilly rednecks who want to collect hair."

"Works for me."

"What are your names, again?" Jenkins asked. I glanced over at his cage as Sam continued to pull down stuff from the ceiling.

"Sam." He answered, groaning as the pulls on the coil started to hurt his hands.

"And your sweetheart?"

"Nothing that's related to the valentine candies." I muttered and Sam cleared his throat pointedly. I rolled my eyes. "Andy, the name's Andy."

"How manly of you." He now looked at Sam. "Why don't you give it up, Sammy, there's no way out."

"Don't….call me….Sammy!" He groaned one final time, tearing the coil loose and a piece of metal fell on the floor.

I looked up at him surprised. "You really don't like being called Sammy do you?"

Sam shook his head picking it up to look at it. He flipped his hair out of his eyes and squinted. "It's a bracket."

"Well, thank God, a bracket. Now we've got 'em, huh?" Jenkins asked sarcastically and it was the first time I wished that the cages were closer together so I could smack him upside the head. Suddenly, Jenkins cage unlocked and opened. "Must've been short. Maybe you knocked somethin' loose."

Sam and I looked at each other and then at Jenkins cautiously. "I think you should get back in there, Jenkins." Sam said moving to the door of the cage to look at him.

I nodded. "He's right. This isn't right."

"Don't you wanna get out of here?" He asked us. "Although looking at your situation, I'm guessing your not rushing to get out of there." He raised his eyebrows at me and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

"Okay, first of the all the guy who's dating her, who is coming to rescue us by the way, would kill me if that ever came close to remotely happening. But not the point, that was too easy."

But Jenkins wasn't listening, he was making his way to the door those two men had gone through. "Look, I'm gonna get out of here, and I'm gonna send help, okay, don't worry."

"No, I'm serious. Jenkins—this might be a trap." Sam called, worry streaking his voice.

I swear to God Jenkins laughed. "Bye Sammy." And he was out the door.

I smacked Sam on the shoulder. "How many times do I have to call you Sammy before you turn into the Hulk and break the cage door down?" Sam looked at me annoyed and I shrugged, looking at the cage floor. "Sorry."

"Can you help me get this thing even a little bit loose?" I nodded, pushing the cage door. "Instead of telling jokes…since they tend to suck."

"Shut up." I said smiling. "My jokes are fine; you just don't find them hilarious. Unlike some people."

"Oh yeah, some people meaning Dean?" He asked and my smile faded. He looked at me for a moment before I started pushing on the door again. He cleared his throat. "Sorry Andy."

I shrugged. "For what? He's not dead Sam."

"I know but who knows if he'll even find us."

"Wow, thanks for that burst of sunshine Sam." I said sarcastically, pulling and jerking the cage. "I'm sure Dean would appreciate it."

Sam rolled his eyes, now pulling the door with me. "I didn't mean that. I just didn't mean to upset you; I know you're worried about him."

"I'm worried about us." I added, pulling my hands back to look at them. Suddenly a scream broke out outside and I looked to Sam. "Now more than ever."

0o0o0o0o

I sat against the end of the cage while Sam kept working on the front. "I don't think it'll budge Sam." The cage was rough and it felt like ice against my skin. I shivered involuntarily and Sam turned to look at me.

He bent foreword trying to take his shirt off. He managed to get it over his head and adjusted his white tee shirt underneath. "Here, put this on. Dean will kill me if I let you freeze to death."

I smiled taking the warm shirt from him. I slipped it over my head and was overwhelmed with the comforting scent of Sam. I shrugged my arms inside the shirt and hugged them around my waist. "Do you think Dean's really coming?"

Sam sighed, finally giving up with the cage. He hunched back and sat next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder. "You know he is." He rubbed up and down my arm. "He's just figuring out a way to get here. You know how moronic he is with directions sometimes." Even with the joke I could tell there was some doubt in his voice and it honestly made me a little scared. If Sam doubted Dean then maybe Dean wouldn't actually find us in time. I refused to let frightened tears fill my eyes. Dean would come. He had to. And in the meantime I was with Sam. He was the only other person in my life who I trusted completely to keep me safe. And he would, he'd proved it millions of times before.

Suddenly the door to the room slammed open, making Sam and I jump. The two men came back again, one of them carrying a woman. While one put her in Jenkins cage, the other came to the side of our cage leaning down to grin at me.

"You're pretty girl." He slurred. "Can't wait to hunt you…carve you up nice. Like a turkey dinner."

I swallowed and he kicked the cage before leaving. "I think he likes me." I commented dryly.

Sam shook his head, looking at the door they had left out of. "He's not coming anywhere near you. You know that right?"

I nodded and smiled slightly. "I know, thanks Sam."

The woman groaned in the cage next to us and sat up, rubbing her head. "You alright?" I asked her.

"Are you Sam Winchester?" She asked looking at Sam. "And Andrea Core?"

Sam nodded and I agreed. "Andy, yeah."

"Your, uh, your cousin's looking for you." She said feeling her head again.

I grinned, relieved. "Thank God. Where is he?"

"I, uh—I cuffed him to my car."

I sighed. "You're a damn cop aren't you?" She nodded meekly. "Of course you are. You people are the only ones I know that _really_ know how to lock up the wrong guy. You know that?"

I heard shifting around the room again and Sam clamped my mouth shut with his hand.

"Andy? Sam?" I heard Dean call.

"Dean! Over here." I said in a loud whisper after moving Sam's hand. I finally saw Dean approach the front of the cage and I scrambled to touch him. He managed to reach a hand through the cage and he cupped my cheek gently.

"Hey baby, I've worried sick about you." He stroked my cheek and I leaned into his touch, kissing his palm.

"Sam?" Sam smiled and Dean nodded. "Damn, it's good to see you. Are you guys hurt at all?"

"One of them took out a good part of my hair but other than that I'm okay." I said, reaching back to run over the sore part of my head. Dean leaned down on his knees and managed to keep his hand in the cage. Dean's eyes clouded over with anger for a minute and I thought he'd be able to rip open the cage with his bare hands.

"How did you get out of the cuffs?" Dean turned his head to look at the woman.

He smiled cockily. "Oh, I know a trick or two." Dean turned back to look at Sam, hand all the while stroking my hair. "Have you seen 'em?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. Dude, they're just people."

"And they jumped you two? Must be gettin' a little rusty there, guys."

I rolled my eyes. "They bashed our heads in when we weren't looking Dean. Let me try that out on you and see how you do." He looked at me sympathetically and looked over to the side wall.

"That a control panel to open the cages?"

I nodded. "It needs a key though."

"What do they want?"

"I don't know. They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. It doesn't make any sense to me."

"They want to hunt us." I said quietly and Dean and Sam both turned to look at me. "Remember? One of them came down and said I'd be fun to hunt?"

Dean's eyes grew dark again. "None of them are touching you. One of them tries and I'll kill them." He threatened. Screw the 'they're people' routine. The rules change when people use you as hunting targets. "You know, with our usual playmates, there's rules, there's patterns. But with people, they're just crazy."

"See anything else out there?" I asked him.

"Uh, he has about a dozen junked cars hidden out back. Plates from all over, so I'm thinkin' when they take someone, they take their car, too. Let's get you guys out of here, and then we'll take care of those bastards." He stood back up and pulled me towards the cage door. He managed to reach his lips to my head and left a long kiss there. "I'll be right back alright?"

I nodded, kissing his hand again before he pulled his arm out.

"Sam, watch her alright? Keep her safe?" Dean asked him seriously and Sam nodded.

"I will." Dean turned to walk away.

"Hey." I said making him turn. "Be careful."

He gave me a smile that of course said, 'I always am' and headed for the door. I prayed to God he was as safe as his ego thought he was.

0o0o0o0o

Unfortunately, not ten minutes later we heard Dean yelling and fighting above us. Sam and I strained our ears to hear anything but as soon as that happened the whole upstairs went quiet.

Until a few minutes later, someone finally spoke up. "Come on. Let us hunt him." One of them begged another.

"Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me." That was Dean's voice and he sounded pained. "That's what this is about? You yahoos hunt people?"

I leaned my head against Sam's shoulder. Way to go Dean, piss them off by calling them yahoos.

"I've hunted all my life." His voice was too low to hear for a moment but I caught one part of that. "But the best hunt is human."

"You're a sick puppy." I shook my head looking at Sam. He was straining to hear what was being said too.

"So, what, you with that pretty cop? Are you a cop?" It was the same voice as before.

I could tell by Dean's voice he was trying to put up as much bravado as he could. And that wasn't necessarily a good thing. "If I tell you, you promise not to make me into an ashtray?" He was trying to hide the fact that he was scared. But I could see right through it.

I distinctly heard something hit Dean because he let loose a groan. I hated hearing him in pain when I could nothing about it. I buried my head in Sam's shoulder and his hand came up to stroke my hair. He kept looking towards the ceiling though, trying to pay attention to every detail being said.

"Tell me—any of the cops gonna come lookin' for you?" The same man asked.

I could hear Dean sigh loudly. "Oh, eat me. No, no, no, wait, wait—you actually might."

Then there was movement and someone picking up something from the floor.

"You think this is funny? You brought this down on my family. Alright, you wanna play games? We'll play some games. Looks like we're gonna have a hunt tonight after all, boys."

They all laughed. These things were not people. "And you get to pick the animal. The boy, the pretty girl or the cop?" My heart stopped.

Dean was scared now. I could hear it in his voice. He basically had to choose one of us to die. "Okay, wait, wait—look, nobody's comin' for me, alright? It's just us." He couldn't back out with that now, it was too late.

"You don't choose, I will." The man threatened. Suddenly Dean screamed in pain and I covered my ears with my hands.

"Hey, shhh." Sam tried, pulling me close to him. "He'll be okay." He whispered. He couldn't die. I was convinced of that now. After all the hunts and the danger that came with it, I was convinced that nothing could hurt them. Has me thinking after all this time, my boys are immortal. Nothing can kill my guys. But in reality they're just people and they can get hurt and die like everyone else.

"Oh, you son of a bitch!" Dean yelled, gritting his teeth together.

"Next time, I'll take an eye."

Oh God. Through my covered ears I had heard that and Sam looked down at me worriedly. He had to choose now. At least if he chose me or Sam we'd have a fighting shot.

"Alright, the guy, the guy! Take the guy!" Dean screamed; angry and hurt. I looked to Sam and he nodded at me.

"Lee, go do it." The man said. "Don't let him out, though. Shoot him in the cage."

I clinged onto Sam protectively. "Lee, when you're done with the boy—shoot the bitch, too." My eyes went wide.

I heard footsteps coming downstairs and near the door to where we were and I looked to the ceiling hearing Dean scream again. "You hurt Andy, I'll kill you, I swear. I'll kill you all. I will kill you all!"

Lee, I'm guessing, entered the room and walked over to the control panel to unlock it.

"What are you doing?" Sam yelled. Our cage door unlocked, along with the cop's, and Sam looked at the bracket on the floor. He grabbed it and threw it at Lee's face and the gun went off towards the ceiling.

Sam and I rushed out of the cage. Sam ran at Lee and his weapon fell to the floor. I grabbed it, hitting him three times in the face and he went down. I cocked the weapon, but there was no additional shot.

"Damn." I threw the gun down next to the unconscious Lee and looked to Sam who was motioning for us to drag Lee into the cage. We did so slamming the door shut and heard more footsteps down the stairs. Sam and I hid, watching where the cop had hid as well. They were pissed Lee had ended up in the cage; we were definitely the wrong human to mess with.

Suddenly the cop ended up jumping on the back of one of the men and Sam went after the other while I ran upstairs to help Dean. I ended up near what looked like a kitchen but Dean was no where to be found. I looked around and turned the corner and there he was tied to a chair. There was a girl, no older than thirteen twirling a knife near his eye.

"Hey!" I screamed grabbing her attention.

She growled, plunging towards me. The damn girl actually growled. This family was really like animals or monsters. I couldn't decide which; picking the lesser of two evils there. I tried moving to the side but she followed in suit, landing right against me, knife raised high.

"Andy!" Dean yelled, although I didn't know why he bothered. There was no one behind me and I already knew where the girl was. Maybe it was out of relief or worry. I pushed the girl back but surprisingly she was strong. She landed right against me, this time pushing me towards the wall. I grabbed her hair, pulling it with al my might. She shrieked and I looked to the side of me where a door was. I prayed it was a closet and shoved her towards it. At the last minute she bit me. The damn girl leaned right down and bit my forearm. I screamed in pain, wrenching her off. I shoved her in the closet and slammed the door, setting a chair in front of it.

I groaned, walking towards Dean to untie him.

"You alright?" I asked him.

"Are you serious? You just got bit by a rapid girl. I'm super." Dean grunted as I pulled on the ropes. "Sam alright?"

I nodded. "He can handle himself, we'll meet him outside." I finally got him untied and he stood quickly, grabbing my shoulders to take a look at me. He pulled me into him and I held onto him tightly while he buried his face in my hair.

"When that gun went off…I thought…" He tried but couldn't finish his sentence.

I pulled back giving him a comforting smile and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine, Sam is too."

He nodded, relived. "Let me see your arm."

I shook my head, not wanting him to touch it. I could feel the skin begin to swell around the teeth marks and it hurt. "Aw, come on Dean, its not that bad." I whined and he rolled his eyes.

"Well, if it's not that bad then let me see it." I sighed putting my arm gently in his hands. "It looks pretty deep."

"I don't need stitches. It's not that deep." Dean looked at me skeptically. "Come on, it's barely bleeding."

"Alright, we'll drown it in disinfectant and patch it up at home."

I nodded and wrapped my arm around his waist. "Come on, let's go."

"No need to tell me twice."

"Where's the girl?" The cop asked when we went down the stairs outside.

"You alright?" I asked Sam and he nodded. He looked relieved Dean was alright and I definitely knew how he felt. I felt myself try and pull Dean closer to me and he smiled knowingly and kissed my head.

"Andy locked her in a closet. What about the dad?" Dean asked looking straight at the cop.

"Shot. Trying to escape." We all exchanged glances but didn't say anything. We didn't need to.

0o0o0o0

"So, you got sidelined by a thirteen-year-old girl, huh?" Sam asked as we headed into the motel room.

"Oh, shut up." Dean growled, shutting the door.

I grabbed the disinfectant and headed into the bathroom to turn the light on.

"And your girlfriend had to save you?" Sam asked, looking at me and I grinned. "Just sayin', gettin' rusty there, kiddo."

Dean chuckled throwing a pillow at him. "Shut up."

"Okay, who's first?" I asked holding up a washcloth.

Dean pointed at me. "You are."

I rolled my eyes. "What?" Dean just nodded walking towards me and into the bathroom. "I'm not that bad. I have a bump on the head and…"

"Teeth marks?" Dean asked cocking his head at me. He sat me on the closed toilet and dipped the washcloth in warm water.

"You got burned by a hot poker!"

He shrugged and kneeled down next to me. "It's not that bad. They didn't press hard and it mostly got my shirt and jacket. It was my favorite shirt though." He looked forlorn as he pressed the cloth against my skin.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I said sarcastically. "Ouch!" I grimaced as he scrubbed the little dried blood off.

Dean winced understandingly. "Sorry baby. It's going to be even more of a bitch when I pour the disinfectant on." The cut was wide open now and Dean carefully poured the disinfectant on it. I grabbed onto his shoulder, gripping it tightly as it stung my cut. I think it hurt worse than the damn girl biting it.

Dean kissed my forehead and leaned up to get the bandages. I didn't say anything when he gently wiped my skin dry. "You okay?" he asked me tenderly.

I nodded and sniffled and he wrapped the bandage around my arm. After a few moments I shook my head no. "No?" he asked me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. I rested my head against his shoulder and he rubbed my back. "Anything I can do?"

I shook my head no, leaning back to kiss him. "You're doing it." He smiled and leaned up to kiss me. His kiss was rough. Not a hurtful rough but a heavy rough, if that explained it. He was pushing his lips so close to mine I thought I might accidently bite him. I could feel his need in the kiss too. The need for me to be there, the need for me to be alright. I smiled as he pulled away.

"Better?" He asked.

"Yes, much. Now let's take a look at that burn. I think there's burn cream in the first aid kit." I got up from the toilet, having him sit now and he took his shirt off.

"You just want my shirt off." I turned to look at him and nodded. Not that having his shirt off was a bad thing at all. The burn was right above his left pec, near his shoulder.

I winced. "It looks bad Dean."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I could literally see the hard ass wall go up. No emotions while Dean Winchester was in pain. So he was allowed to be worried about me but I couldn't do the same? I rolled my eyes. He was so hard to figure out sometimes.

"Don't be a hard ass, I know it hurts." I said pushing out some of the burn cream on the washcloth.

He rolled his eyes and grunted in pain as held his shulder to rub the cream on. "God Andy, why don't you push a little harder?"

Apparently he was also horribly hard to deal with when in pain. "You're welcome." I said dryly and applied the bandage. "I have to tell you something." I said quietly after a few minutes of silence had passed.

Dean had been looking at Sam, who was now asleep with the television on.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning his face to mine.

I stood putting the rest of the bandages away. "I thought…when I was with Sam in that cage. I thought you weren't coming. That you wouldn't find us in time. And I'm sorry." I said quickly. "I shouldn't have thought that you know? But I needed you to…"

I turned and he was up off the toilet, putting his shirt on and coming towards me. He got so close that my breath caught in my throat and I looked up at him. He cupped my face gently. "Hear it…" I finished.

He smiled gently, kissing me. "Sam and I, we'll always come for you Andy. No matter what alright?"

I nodded and shook my head, feeling like an idiot for mentioning that in the first place. "I'm going to get a soda okay?" I said making my way to the front door.

"Hey!" Dean called making me turn around. "You sure you're okay?" He asked, handing me a five from his wallet.

I nodded, kissing him on the cheek. "Yeah, I'm okay."

0o0o0o0o

I pushed the Dr. Pepper button on the vending machine waiting for the damn thing to spit out the money and my soda. I pressed a Sprite for Dean and tried juggling them in my hands as I took the money to put back in my pocket.

"Need some help?" It better not have been Trailer Joe.

I shook my head turning around. "Yeah I'm…" Jason. I dropped the cans and they fell on the floor, one of them spurting open. "Fine…Jason?"

"Hey Andy, long time no see." He didn't sound different. But something was wrong. He seemed wrong.

I glanced towards the stairs, which I think he was purposely blocking. I didn't see Dean or Sam coming down to help me either.

"Where have you been all this time?" I asked him, backing up against the machine.

"Everywhere." He said softly. "I've been meaning to tell you something. How special you are."

"Jason I already know that." I said trying to smile. I tried walking past him and up the stairs but he grabbed my shoulder and roughly slammed me back where I was.

"Did Dean tell you?" he spat. "Because he doesn't understand Andy, how special you are. I know!" He screamed. I winced against his hold on my shoulder. "He said you would understand. Said you would listen to me."

"Who? Who said? Jason come on, you're hurting me."

"He said if I got you to listen you'd fall back in love with me." He said looking at me desperately and longingly. "He promised me."

I almost felt sorry for him. But then I remembered the searing pain on my shoulder. This couldn't have been him. "Jason, I don't know who told you that but they were lying okay? I'm sorry."

"The man with the yellow eyes promised me." He sounded distant, crazy and I saw something glimmer in his hand not a minute later.

I looked to the stairs. Dean and Sam were still no where to be seen.

0o0o0o0o

uh oh, whats going to happen to Andy?

the next epsiode is shadow :D i think thats the one where meg and daddy Winchester show up as well.


	33. Chapter 32: Shadow Part 1

:D please enjoy and comment if you have something to say!

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 32: Shadow Part 1

I thought the glimmer was a knife. But there was so much adrenaline pumping in my veins that it could have been a pen and I'd be freaking out. He was coming closer to me and in a few moments his body would be right smack against mine. He then jerked foreword and I knew the 'pen' was actually a dagger. It nearly pierced the soda machine as I ducked. I bolted into him so fast that he fell flat on his ass and I ran for the stairs, taking two at a time. I turned to look back at him as I turned the corner. He was still on the ground and I was literally two feet away from my room. As I turned to look back where I was going I ran straight into Dean with a yelp.

"Hey! Hey!" Dean said, grabbing my shoulders as I tried to flail away from him. "Hey, its okay. Andy…its okay. It's just me."

I settled down a little after that, collapsing against him. I was breathing heavily and he put one arm around my shoulder while the other made soothing stroking movements through my hair. "What happened? It wasn't Trailer Joe was it?" There was a bit of menace in his voice and I smiled in spite of it. I could see Dean march right on down there and threaten Joe that he'd never see any of his videos again accounting on the two black eyes he was going to receive.

It was then the panic started to shoot through me again as I remembered the problem hadn't been with Trailer Joe and it felt like the butterflies were eating through the walls of my stomach. I pulled back from Dean, gripping his shirt as I turned to look behind me. "No, Dean it was Jason. He was crazy. He came up behind me and slammed me into the soda machine." Dean cupped my face with such tenderness it made me want to cry. It would have been easy at that point; I was so freaked to hell.

"Let's get you inside." He put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into the room. I couldn't help but wonder where Jason was, not that I wasn't grateful he hadn't caught up to me. But the thing that was nagging me is that he should have. He was just knocked on his ass. He could have easily gotten up and ran right after me. The uneasy part was that he hadn't, which made me feel like he was hiding somewhere. Maybe he didn't want to go up against Dean and Sam and when I ran into Dean he got skittish and backed off. Millions of things were going through my head as Dean sat me on Sam's bed. Sam was already awake and sat next to me.

"You alright?" Sam asked me.

I looked at them both as Dean kneeled down in front of me, I'm guessing so he could see my face. "Where the hell were you two?"

"Sam woke up and asked where you were. You weren't gone for that long, Andy. It's when Sam mentioned it, like you shouldn't have gone out by yourself, is when I started to get worried." His head dipped a bit as he was talking. He looked ashamed that I had gotten attacked and that he couldn't have done a damn thing about it because he hadn't been with me. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, rubbing my aching shoulder. It wasn't his fault, I knew that.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"Jason came after me. He said he wanted to tell me how special I was. And that'd you'd never understand." I said looking at Dean, who was literally brewing with anger. "But he said he knew how special I was. He said that the man with the yellow eyes told him I'd listen to him. That if I did, I'd understand and fall back in love with him." I sniffled, and kept rubbing my shoulder. "I mean how crazy is that?" I asked, looking from Sam to Dean as tears rapidly filled my eyes. "I know it was just Jason but he scared me, Dean. I thought he was going to kill me."

Dean sat up on the bed and pulled me into a tight hug. I knew Dean and Sam were looking at each other, trying to piece together what was going on from what I had told them.

"Is this what your nightmare was about?" Sam asked gently.

Small sobs had built in my chest and my tears were coursing down my cheeks and onto Dean's neck. He sighed, rubbing his hands in small circles down my back. "No, not at all. But let me say, I'd rather take that then my nightmare."

I pulled back from Dean and Sam handed me a tissue from off one of the nightstands. Dean watched as I took it from him and ran it underneath my eyes.

"Did he say anything that was in your nightmare?" I shook my head no and looked at my hands. "What exactly happened in the nightmare, Andy?"

Suddenly the door burst open, almost shattering the wood as it slammed into the wall.

I didn't think I needed to answer that.

0o0o0o0o

Dean was the first one to bolt off the bed and Sam followed in suit. I stood up from the bed slowly like something underneath the mattress was going to pull me under. I moved just enough to see out the door. Jason had Dean in a chokehold and Sam was tying to push him off. When Jason saw me, he let go of Dean. As Dean fell to the floor and scrambled on his feet, Jason smiled at me. That smile chilled me to the bone and it felt like I was dying inside.

Sam gave Jason one final push, throwing him into the railing right outside the door. He bolted inside and slammed the door shut, using his weight against it to keep it closed.

He was panicked. He knew that Jason wasn't a person anymore and if he wanted in, he'd get in. Sam screamed across the room, trying to snap me out of it. "Andy, I know he's your friend. But you saw him; he's not a person anymore!"

Jason wanted in. He was pounding so hard on the door Sam seemed to be in pain. Dean suddenly came around from behind me and grabbed my shoulders. "Andy, baby, come on snap out of it."

I shook my head looking at him helplessly. "This is my nightmare, Dean!" I grabbed his forearms trying to get him to look at me and not at Sam.

"You're not dying, Andy." Dean vowed and went over to Sam to help him hold the door. I went to the weapons bag, grabbing the dagger Sam had given me for my birthday just as Dean and Sam were thrown from the door. Sam landed into the nightstands and Dean against the kitchen sink. They both landed with sickening thuds and each seemed to be unconscious.

"Sam! Dean!" I didn't know which one to run to, so basically my feet stayed glued to the floor. This was the moment right? The moment where my nightmare ended? The moment where Dean would lose me and go on a warpath. He'd be erratic, tail spinning, and Sam wouldn't be able to save him. I would know. I'd be the same way if I lost him.

The door opened slowly and Jason walked in, slowly twirling the knife in his hand.

"This didn't have to be this way, Andy. So hard and difficult."

I laughed. "Right, I should have just stood here while you came in here and stabbed me."

Jason smiled, the door slamming by itself behind him. "So…you are special aren't you? Saw this whole little thing before it happened. You and Sam…are his favorites. You know that? How's that make you feel?"

Was he serious? I gripped the dagger in my hands, turning my knuckles white. I prayed I didn't have to use it but if he came at me I'd have to. I was hoping Dean or Sam would wake up by then.

"They're not going to wake up just for that, Andy." Jason said gingerly. I looked at him surprised. He nodded and smiled. "That's right. I have a gift too, ya know. Everything you've got stashed in your pretty little head of yours isn't as private as you thought it was. And no, they're not going to wake up and do the dirty work for you. If you want me gone, you're going to have to do it yourself."

I looked at him and he smiled again, walking closer to an unconscious Dean. I knew what he was trying to do. He was going to force me to murder him. Because if I didn't, he'd hurt Dean. "It's too bad really. You were so full of good intentions. But honestly? All this black and white…it's not real. You and I both know it. It's a world of gray. In any situation…anyone can murder. Anyone." He drawled that out, nice and slow, pointedly telling me that I could easily become something evil and lost. That I could become like the things I hunt.

"I won't become something like that." But my voice sounded unsure and insecure. And he knew that.

"You sure about that?" He asked. It sounded like he knew what was going to happen and it made me shiver. "Not even if I…do this?" He bent closer to Dean and withdrew the knife. He brought it closer and closer to Dean's face. I didn't make a move till he brought it to his neck, gently grazing it on his skin. I ran towards Jason, pushing him over. His knife was flung from his hand and he smiled at me, letting me bring the dagger closer and closer to his chest. He grabbed his hands in mine. "Do it, Andy. You know you want to. I would have killed him and I still can."

He was threatening me but I didn't want to kill him. He was right on one thing. If I killed him I wouldn't be any different than the things I hunted. I could see Dean stir and it caught me off guard. Jason flung me off of him and I landed on my back, near Dean. He was fully awake now, looking between me and Jason. Jason picked up my dagger from the floor. "You're not understanding like he said you would. You'll never understand, will you?"

He sounded desperate and dejected and for a moment I thought I recognized the old Jason. I shook my head no at him as his eyes met mine. I could feel Dean reach over and squeeze my hand, which instantly told me he was about to do something stupid. But before Dean even picked himself up off the floor Jason nodded and plunged the dagger into his chest.

0o0o0o0o

Blood filled Jason's mouth as he slumped to the ground. Dean was looking at him in shock but it only took him a minute to reset.

"Sam." Was all Dean said and he was up on his feet again, going to shake Sam awake. All I could hear their voices but they were quickly drowning out. I just kept staring at Jason and the blood pooling around him. This was my fault. I should have done something. Anything. Over and over in my head. I knew this was going to happen. I should have done something.

"Andy." But I really only heard the N and the D pronounced. This was all too lifelike. Too hard and rough against me. Someone was shaking my shoulders and I was lifted from the floor and put into someone's arms.

I was there, but it felt like I wasn't. I felt like a shell of myself, just sitting on the sidelines watching it all happen. I could see and hear everything but I couldn't get myself to react.

"I think she's in shock, Dean." That was Sam. Good, soft, comforting Sam. I think that's whose arm's I was in.

Dean was calling 911 as we left the motel room and ran down to the Impala. He didn't leave his name though; he never did.

Sam placed me in the back and Dean handed him the keys. Dean crawled in back and I shook my head, pulling my knees up to my chest and ran hands through my hair.

"Is she alright?" Sam asked turning the car out of the parking lot and speeding down the road.

I think it was the first time Dean looked at me since we had been on the floor. He turned me around on the seat, holding my shoulders. "Andy, come snap out if it. I'm right here baby, come on."

It felt like my tongue was dry. I wondered if it would shrivel up and fall out of my mouth; like dead leaves or ashes. After a few false starts I got the words to work. "I killed him Dean." It didn't sound like me.

He shook his head, right along with my shoulders. "No, you didn't. I was right there next to you. He picked up your knife and did it himself."

I winced at the memory and shook my head. "It's my fault." I wasn't listening to him. The memory played over and over in my head. Never changing, no matter how many times I thought of ways to stop it. "I should have saved him; I should have found a way to save him."

"Keep talking to her, Dean." I think that's what Sam was saying.

Dean re-grabbed my shoulders, roughly, making me wince. If he wanted to get through to me he was. "Stop, Dean, please…"

"No, not until you listen to me, hey!" Dean yelled as my head dipped down. He shook my shoulders again, not caring if I was crying from the pain. At least I was feeling something. "It is not your fault. Understand? This is what the damn thing wanted, Andy! If he couldn't make you kill Jason he was going to do this to you. Are you just going to sit here and let him break you? Don't let him win." His voice was desperate, like he was going to lose me soon. I looked him straight in the eyes—he kissed me on the lips and cupped my face with both his hands. It was a sympathy kiss. "I love you," he said, "don't let that demon do this to you."

I broke into loud sobs and he pulled me against him, hugging me tightly and placing kisses on my head and neck and face. He didn't whisper fake comforts either, like I thought he would. He just held me and let me know he was there. Always.

I fell asleep in his arms not an hour later. My mind wasn't plagued with nightmares but it wasn't fairytale dreams either. It'd have to do for now.

0o0o0o0o One Week Later 0o0o0o0o

"Andy, you either get out of the shower now or I'm pulling you out of there myself!" Dean yelled into the bathroom for what seemed to be the thousandth time. I stuck my head out of the curtain, drips of water falling from the edges of my hair.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

He smiled and snuck into the bathroom, shutting the door.

"Is Sam still asleep?"

Dean nodded, leaning against the sink, running a hand through his hair. I went back into the shower and adjusted the curtain. "I think he found us a job last night."

"Oh yeah, where at?"

"Chicago."

"Any ideas on what we're dealing with?"

I could see Dean's shadow approach the shower and I wondered if he was becoming impatient or he just liked to watch my hands rise above my head to wash the soap out of my hair. "Yeah, because we always know what we're dealing with from reading a newspaper article."

I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm and turned the water off. "Sometimes we do. We have guesses."

"Yeah and they usually end up being wrong." Dean reached his hand inside the shower and I smiled, taking the towel from him.

I wrapped the towel around my body and pulled back the shower curtain. I stuck my tongue out at him and he wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me back against his chest. I turned my head, surprised. "You stick your tongue out at me one more time and I'm gonna show you how to use it."

Once again. I didn't know whether that was a threat or more of a tease. Just to press my luck, I turned around and did it again. Not a moment later, his mouth crashed down on mine and his tongue invaded my mouth. He tasted like cherries and pomegranates as his tongue slid against my own. He traced my inner lip and it made my body basically ooze with pleasure.

I pushed him back when my lungs reminded me that I wasn't a fish and needed air to breath. "If we do that, you'll never get in the shower."

Dean looked at me, smiling. "If we never stop, you'll end up in the shower with me."

I grinned, taking off his T-shirt. "My, Dean Winchester, are we trying to seduce me?"

He pulled me towards the tub, gently unwrapping my towel. He leaned down and whispered into my ear, sending shivers up my spine. "Always."

The towel fell to the floor, along with his assortment of clothes and a random thought popped into my brain as the shower curtain was closed. Sam wasn't going to have any hot water.

0o0o0o0o

We walked out of the bathroom, laughing and kissing and unfortunately, greeting a somber looking Sam sitting on the bed, looking at the television.

He turned to look at us and had the remote up against his lips. "They determined how Jason died." He said quietly and Dean went to sit down on his bed to watch the screen. "They're coming back with it after the commercials."

I rolled my eyes. Stupid news. It was like a television series when you thought about it; leaving cliffhangers making you want to sit through the commercials to see what happens next.

I turned to head back into the bathroom and I almost got away with it too.

"Andy, don't you want to see—"

Dean tried but I interrupted him. "I was there, Dean, I know how he died." I knew that wasn't what he was going to say to me, but I didn't want to sit there for that. Or for any other reason Dean was going to say.

He looked at me understandingly. He held his hand out and waited for me to take it. Which means I had to, otherwise he'd be mad at me all day for it. I sighed and took his hand. He pulled me to sit on the bed next to him and he held my hand tightly as the commercials came to an end.

"Last week in Hibbing, Minnesota a man was found stabbed to death in one of the rooms of Outlet Motel."

They started to show police footage of what they had found and I buried my head in Dean's shoulder, not wanting to see any of it for a second time. He let go of my hand and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Police put the death around late Thursday night, around midnight. There are no leads on what exactly happened but the coroners are putting it out as suicide." I could literally feel Dean and Sam's eyes on me. "Local council…" Sam shut off the television and Dean left a long kiss on my head.

"The TV's off." He told me, as if I didn't hear the annoying woman reporter click off and Sam shuffling into the bathroom. I didn't move though, just kept my head on Dean's shoulder. His skin was still hot from the shower, even though he had his shirt on now. He ran a hand down through my wet hair and played with it between his fingers. "You alright?" he asked me after a few minutes of sitting there.

I nodded, just not wanting to think about it. Although it was kind of hard, seeing as how I couldn't just block the memories out when we started the new case. "When can we leave for Chicago?"

"As soon as Sam shags ass out of the shower." Dean answered.

"I'll start packing my clothes then." I said making my way towards my bag.

"I already did it." I stopped and moved to the left instead. "Weapons too."

I stopped short and looked at him; he had a small smile on his face. "How am I supposed to have busy work if I have a tidy boyfriend?"

He shrugged. "Maybe that's the idea." Dean cocked his head to the side and motioned to the place next to him on the bed. "Get over here." I swayed over next to Dean as he lay down on the bed. He pulled me close and I put my head on his chest. "You don't need to keep busy. We can just talk you know."

"I don't have anything to say."

"Uh huh." Dean said unconvinced. His one arm came around my shoulder and started stroking my hair.

"Really. I've talked, I've cried, I'm done, Dean. I need to stop falling backwards and dwelling on what happened. I'll be fine, I just need to move foreword. They think it was a suicide."

He nodded. "Well we did wipe the prints off of your dagger."

I sat up and looked at him for a moment. "You thought it was me."

He shook his head. "No, I think that it was your weapon and it would of course have your prints on it. I didn't do it because I thought it was you, I did it to protect you. We both saw he did it to himself."

"I know…I'm…"

"Venting? Still?" He knew me entirely too well.

"It's just. He was one of my best friends and this job…I keep loosing people and I promised myself I wouldn't. But I can't stop it."

Dean cupped my face in both hands. "Well you're not loosing me. Ever."

I hoped it was a promise.

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

Shadow's beginning


	34. Chapter 33: Shadow Part 2

sorry this is taking me longer to post. shadow isn't one of my favorite episodes. please enjoy and review! :D

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 33: Shadow Part 2

We were halfway to Chicago when Dean screeched to a halt in front of a pancake house. Luckily, Sam and I were actually wearing seatbelts this time. I still managed to jerk forward and grip the seat.

"Jesus Christ." Sam breathed.

"What the hell Dean?"

"We need to eat the pancakes here." Dean said like it was obvious and turned into the parking lot.

"And why exactly did you almost kill us to eat pancakes?" I asked. I made sure Dean was securely parked before undoing my seatbelt.

He turned in his seat to face me and Sam. "Because this could be the start of The Pancake World Tour." Sam and I looked at him like he was crazy. "Come on, we're always on the road, traveling across the freakin' Untied States. Something like this was bound to happen."

He turned and got out of the car, Sam and I following. "So how come when I had that idea to do Chicken Around the World you blew it off?"

Dean turned and scrunched his face up. "Come on Andy? Chicken?"

I made a clicking sound with my tongue hitting the roof of my mouth and followed him inside the pancake house.

We were led to the back of the restaurant and sat in a booth. I slid in the booth after Dean and he put an arm up over the seat, almost touching my shoulders. It was his way of teasing me. I rolled my eyes and picked up the menu, sliding closer so our hips were touching.

"I don't think I'm gonna get anything." I mused, looking over the choices. I was never really a big breakfast person. It wasn't just the prospect of eating early, it was the breakfast foods. I wasn't much into the whole bacon, eggs and toast thing. I hadn't had a lot of breakfasts made for me when I was growing up. And I hated eggs.

"You have to eat something, I know you're hungry." Dean wasn't even looking up from the menu. I glanced at Sam, who was shifting in his seat. His eyes were scanning over the selections as well.

"I'm not a big pancake person."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You trying to tell me you're a waffle person you traitor."

Sam smirked and I shoved Dean. "I'm just not hungry."

He put down the menu, rubbing an open hand on my thigh. "How bout we share pancakes?" If he wasn't convincing enough that hand on my leg had a lot of persuasion. "Come on, I'll get chocolate chips in them."

He raised his eye brows at me as the waiter approached the table. "Fine." I agreed and he beamed.

"Hey, I'm Alex. What can I get you this morning?" He was tall, but not as tall as Sam. He had beautiful green eyes and a type of ruggedness that reminded me of Dean.

"Um I'll have a coffee and the eggs and bacon special." Sam responded, handing him the menu.

"And for you?" He looked to Dean.

"Two chocolate chip pancakes please." He stacked the menus and handed them to him as Sam had.

"Nothing for you sweetheart?" He asked me with a smile. I shook my head and smiled politely.

"No thank you."

"She's sharing with me." Dean said pointedly and I was pretty sure that he also added a threatening, 'you'll get your ass kicked face' and I looked down at the table.

Alex shuffled away not a moment after that and I looked up at Dean amazed. He was staring after Alex and when he caught me looking at him he gave me a confused feature. "What?"

"He probably won't bring us out our food now, you know that?"

Dean shrugged nonchalantly, sitting back in his seat. "I don't care, he was about to get that sweetheart shoved down his throat."

"He was just trying to be nice." I tried but as I looked at Sam I knew that I was trying to move a freakin boulder with that one. I was trying to cut the guy a break, but not with Dean I wasn't going to.

"He smiled at you as he left."

I shook my head. "No, he didn't."

"How do you know, your head was down."

"And how do you know?" I countered. "If you're staring at smiling guys I think I'm the wrong type Dean."

Dean wrapped his arm around my waist, playfully pulling me towards him. "Nah, you're the perfect kind of type."

"You two make me loose my appetite." Sam grimaced.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that because Dean scared our waiter away!" I laughed as Dean placed a hand over my mouth, kissing my forehead.

The waiter did come to our table, twenty minutes earlier than I thought he would. Sam enjoyed his eggs and bacon while I took some part of Dean's pancakes. I reached over him and grabbed the syrup.

He grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?"

"Adding a video stream." I said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, smartass. You can't add syrup to chocolate. It's disgustingly impossible."

I stuck my tongue out, wrestling my hand out of his. "You can add anything to chocolate, I think it was proven somewhere." Although my hand still didn't move.

"Acid?" Dean asked.

"Pineapples?" Sam added, making me look at him.

"Okay, Acid Dean? At least Sam named a food." Sam smiled and shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth.

I tipped the syrup towards the plate and Dean glared as the brown liquid slowly went onto the pancakes. He pushed the plate at me. "You disgust me."

I smiled shoving pancakes in my mouth. "You love me."

He shook his head at me, smiling slowly. He stood up for a moment, indicating he wanted out of the booth and kissed me on the forehead as I let him out. I watched Dean head to the bathroom and looked at Sam finish off his food.

"How was yours?"

"Good, seeing as how I finished all of it." He pushed the plate back and smiled at me as he sat back against the booth.

"You two are so funny today."

Sam chuckled. "No, you're just less funny today, making us look hilarious."

After a few moments, the waiter made a guest appearance to give us our check since Dean was gone.

"So how are you, um, holding up?" Sam asked, sliding the check towards him.

"Wow, smooth Sam." He gave me a sympathetic look and I shook my head. "No, I'm fine."

"Really? One week later and you're fine?" He asked skeptically.

"Well, I mean. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Seriously? You're asking me that?" He was being harsher than I thought Sam could be.

It was kind of throwing me off. "Well, I mean. I have to put it behind me, I figure that's the best thing I can do."

"And you think that'll just stop everything's that's happened?"

I shook my head, looking at my hands on my lap. "Wow, thanks Sam."

"Wait, Andy…" He tried but I got up from the booth, passing Dean coming back from the bathroom.

I heard him ask what Sam had said to me as I pushed the door open to head out to the Impala. I shook my head walking past the doors and sat against the back of the car, sinking down to the ground to wait for them. I shook my head; how dare Sam.

"Andy?" Dean called, rounding the car. "You alright?" he asked kneeling before me. "Can't leave you two alone for more than five minutes…"

"I'm fine." Bullshit. He could see right through it.

"What'd he say to you?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"Oh really?" Disbelief was covering his voice. "I'm never seen you so angry and upset over nothing before."

I stood up, Dean slowly following. "He was talking about Jason, well not really. I was just saying I was fine and he basically demanded that I wasn't, I mean I know I'm not great but I'm trying not to fall apart."

"You're doing fine. Sam's just worried, that's all." He grabbed my hands and pulled them around his waist. He leaned down and kissed my lips. "Okay, forgive him? He'll be out in a minute. He's paying the check with your new boyfriend."

I nodded. "Obviously, you see why I'm leaving you."

Dean pulled me closer and smiled. "Well, seeing as how you'll probably get free pancakes, I'd swing that sway as well."

0o0o0o0o

About three hours later, we arrived in Chicago. "All right, guys. This is the place." Sam said looking at a newspaper. Sam parked the car outside of a coffee shop and I observed an outside menu.

"You know, I've gotta say Dad and me did just fine without these stupid costumes. I feel like a high school drama dork."

I smiled. "You're the hottest alarm company employee I know Dean."

He grinned, looking in the rearview at me. Sam cleared his throat, handing me a costume. "Look, you wanna pull this off or not?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders, getting out of the car. "I'm just sayin', these outfits cost hard-earned money, okay?"

Sam looked at him skeptically. "Oh yeah? Whose?"

"Ours." I interrupted, getting out as well and throwing the costume back on the seat. "You think credit card fraud is easy?"

"You're not coming in?" Dean asked as Sam adjusted the buttons on all blue alarm system company outfit.

"No, I figured it's easier with two and I'll get coffee for you guys."

Dean nodded hesitantly. "Okay." He kissed me quickly and took off across the street with Sam.

I turned and headed into the coffee shop. As I stood in line I thought back to what Sam was saying to me at breakfast. I denied it, but he was right. It had only been one week and I shouldn't have been alright. I think after the big freak out with Dean in the car I hadn't found the same emotion to grieve. Not to mention that guilt was mostly my emotion these days. I didn't want Dean to know that though. I didn't want him to think that I'd never be okay or that I was harboring some secret emotion for Jason. That wasn't it. It was just that out of all the people I had saved with this job why couldn't I save him? Because he did it to himself?

"What will you have?" A man asked me politely as I approached the counter.

"Just three coffees. Just coffee."

He smiled. "No foam or additives?"

I shook my head no and took out the cash for him. That was the thing that always irritated me about coffee shops. They expected you wanted some type of syrup added to your drink. Although cinnamon never was a bad thing to add. But hell I could add that myself and I thanked him for the drinks. I sprinkled cinnamon over Dean and my coffee at the counter where the sugar was and took them over to a table. I sat there nursing the hot coffee, not wanting to burn my tongue or lips on the liquid. I realized that I hadn't gone with Dean and Sam is because I felt like I couldn't do my job anymore. That I wouldn't pick up on a clue or something I should have noticed. Dean would say that I was being ridiculous. That losing one person, whom I couldn't have helped, wouldn't make me lose the knack for the job.

Maybe Sam was right. I was feeling fine and I shouldn't have been. Maybe it would just take a little time for me to be myself again. It's not like I hated my job. It had Dean after all.

0o0o0o0o

"So what happened?" I asked, handing the coffees to Sam and Dean.

Sam smiled a small smile and Dean took it gratefully. "Did you flirt with the coffee guy to get these?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, but I told him you were interested."

He grunted and I smiled. "Alarm was on when the police broke into the apartment. Her heart was missing."

I grimaced. "Lovely. We already crossed off werewolf?"

Dean nodded. "Lunar cycle isn't right."

"Plus, the blood spatters on the floor made a symbol." Sam said taking off the costume and throwing it in the trunk.

Dean observed his coffee for a moment. "Did you put cinnamon in this?"

I nodded, take a sip of my own. "Do you like it?" He smiled, kissing me on the lips. "I'm guessing that's a yes?"

Dean just shrugged and got back into the car, passenger seat this time. I'm guessing he was taking off the getup.

I held Sam's coffee for him while he rummaged around in the trunk for books. He looked up at me for a moment as he grabbed a book. "Hey about this morning, what have I told you about walking away from me when I'm being a total jerk to you?" I smirked, smiling slowly. "I'm sorry. I was out of line."

I shrugged. "I got too many lines that I freak out over when being crossed. It's not completely your fault. You were kind of right. I shouldn't be okay just a week later. I don't why I'm alright and I don't know how to fix it. But I will, because that's what you guys are here for."

He nodded, standing up straight. He gave me a brotherly kiss on the head and I handed him his coffee.

"And apparently we're here to drive you and feed you…you're like an oversized puppy." Dean added, coming around the back of the car. I rolled my eyes and shoved him. "Hey, watch it!" He moved his hand out of my way before his coffee could spill.

"You're right, I'm sorry." I said leaning towards him and kissing him gently. I smiled as I pulled away.

It took him a minute but he got it. "Hey, I felt your hand in my pocket. Give me back my keys."

I waved the keys at him and got in the driver's seat. I revved the engine and watched Dean and Sam in the rearview mirror. They were talking quietly but I could make out what they were saying.

Sam was reassuring Dean that'd I'd be okay and Dean said he loved me. I smiled warmly and Sam closed the trunk.

"Yeah, I know you do." Sam answered Dean, most likely thinking I hadn't heard the first part. "Which is why she'll be okay."

Dean climbed in the passenger seat and I kissed him deeply. He was surprised but didn't hesitate to respond. As I pulled back he looked at me questioningly but he knew I had heard him. I pulled the car out of park.

"Where to boys?"

Dean just shook his head. He turned to Sam. "I just got drive by kissed."

Sam nodded, trying to be serious. "I know, I saw, maybe we should report her."

"Or get a restraining order." Dean pondered.

I turned the corner and looked at the clock. "Geez, it's almost seven."

"Well it did take us forever to get here." Dean added pointedly, looking back at Sam.

"Hey, I'm not the one who had the map."

"I knew where I was going….for the most part." I added quietly and shrugged. "Where did that girl work?" I asked looking out the window.

"At a bar."

"That one?" I pointed to one a few red lights up and Dean nodded.

I smiled looking at them. "Looks like happy hours coming early."

0o0o0o0o

"Why exactly did we need to blast Tegan and Sarah when we were ten minutes away?"

I smiled, turning the engine off. I got out of the car and shrugged. "I was feeling it. Besides it wasn't my fault the mini van in front of us was moving slower then your grandma."

Dean playfully shoved me and I almost tripped. He laughed grabbing me at the last minute to steady me. "Sorry babe, don't know my own strength. Maybe you shouldn't be having any Orange Orangutans tonight."

I shoved him back, not amused. "They were pink and you're an ass, I'm super unbalanced."

Sam nodded, fully agreeing. "Yes you are."

I shook my head. "You two are hilarious."

Dean and Sam smiled at one another and opened the door for me. We grabbed a table near the back and sat down.

"Maybe someone should talk to the bartender." Dean said rubbing his nose. He was probably irritated by the smoke, after all none of us were smokers. I could actually picture Dean smoking though. The leather jacket, the black car, coolly leaning against the bar, lighting up a cig. He could definitely pull it off and look super hot while doing it. But I wasn't going to be the first to light him up, I wasn't much for smoking. My dad did it a while after my mom died and I was pretty sure I had developed lung cancer form all the second hand I'd acquired from him. Plus, smoke clung to clothes and people. I liked the way Dean smelled, it was comforting. I didn't want his clothes and skin to smell like smoke all the time. He rubbed his nose again, sneezing once.

"Bless you." I rubbed his arm and he shook me off.

"Damn smoke." He grumbled, sniffling.

"Bartender?" Sam asked, ignoring Dean's griping.

Dean nodded, turning in his seat to look at the blonde serving drinks. "I'll go talk to her." Basically purring.

I nodded, and played with a quarter on the table. "Yeah, I'm sure." He was turning to look at me but I was looking at my hands flip the quarter.

Sam shrugged. "He could probably get more information out of her then we could."

Like that made it all better. I shrugged one of my shoulders. "Okay, whatever."

Dean put his hands over mine, stopping me from flipping the coin around. He pulled on my hands and put them on his lap. "This conversation is a broken record."

I nodded. "I know, which is why we won't get into it. But you have to admit you'd have a fit if we were using me to get information. You almost killed our waiter this morning over a smile."

Dean shrugged, oblivious to the unfairness of this. "He was asking for it."

"And so are you." I said shoving him.

"What is it with you hitting me all the time?" Dean asked, adjusting his long sleeved button down. "I really do need to get a restraining order."

"You need to start thinking with your upstairs brain Dean."

"If he has one."

Dean glared at Sam for his comment and Sam just smiled. He then looked back at me, giving a small kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be right back, I'll get you a drink." He stood and let go of my hands. "Something strong."

"Something cherry." He nodded, giving me a small smile.

"You gotta calm down sometimes Andy." Sam told me as I turned around in my seat to look at him.

I sighed, really wanting that drink. "I know. But you know he'd do the same thing but be ten times worse."

Sam nodded knowingly and cracked open one of the books from the trunk. "You two are made for each other, did I ever mention that?"

I smiled slightly and looked at Dean leaning against one of the stools, waiting for the bartender to stop serving other people at the other end of the bar. He smiled, grabbing my attention. He pointed to the floor then to me. I blushed, turning around at Sam. He basically just inferred that his downstairs brain was busy…thinking about me.

"What?" Sam asked noticing I was smiling to myself.

I shook my head. "Nothing, why don't you give me a book there Mr. Librarian."

He smiled, handing me a copy. "So we're looking for a symbol that looks like this."

He passed the scratching of the symbol and I squinted at it. "Dean's handy work?" And Sam nodded. "He picked that up from blood blots on the floor?"

"He could be an Ink blotter."

I snickered. "My guy has skills."

"That's not all I have." Dean said showing up with the drinks. "Shirley temple."

"With vodka?"

Dean just smiled. "With some type of alcohol."

I took it happily as Dean handed Sam the beer and sat next to me. "So what did your chippy say?"

Sam almost choked on his beer and I giggled. Dean glared. "I'm going to take that drink away from you." My smile faded and I pulled my drink out of his reach. "Meredith worked here, she waited tables, and everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn't do or say anything weird before she died, so—what about that symbol, you find anything?"

Sam and I shook our heads. "Nope, nothing. It wasn't in Dad's journal or in any of the usual books. We'll just have to dig a little deeper, I guess."

"Well there was another victim right? Before Meredith?" I asked and Dean nodded, taking a newspaper clipping out of his pocket.

"Right. Yeah." His name was, uh—his name was Ben Swardstrom." He handed the clipping to me. "Last month he was found mutilated in his town house. Same deal—the door was locked, the alarm was on."

"Is there any connection between the two of them?" Sam asked.

"Not that I can tell—I mean, not yet, at least. Ben was a banker, Meredith was a waitress. They never met, never knew anyone in common—they were practically from different worlds." I answered.

Sam looked past us, noticing something. "What?" Dean asked, looking in that direction. Sam got up without answering. "Sam?"

He continued to walk away and we got up to follow. He stopped at another table putting his hand on the shoulder of a young blonde. She was pretty. Short cropped blonde hair that barely came to her shoulders. When she stood she wasn't nearly as tall as Sam. I think she was a bit shorter than me seeing as how she had heels on.

"Meg?" He asked. He knew her.

"Sam?" she seemed extremely surprised and happy and hugged Sam.

I leaned into Dean to whisper in his ear. "Meg?"

He looked at me confused. He didn't know who it was either. Oh well, I'm sure any friends of Sam's would be friends of ours.

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

daddy winchester

meg

shadows ending


	35. Chapter 34: Shadow Part 3

okay, please please review :D i'm really proud of this chapter.

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 34: Shadow Part 3

"Sam! Is that you? Oh, my God!" Sam was looking at her puzzled and I shifted from foot to foot wondering why Dean and I hadn't met her before. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just in town, visiting friends. You're from Chicago?"

She shook her head. "No, Massachusetts—Andover. Gosh, Sam, what are the odds we'd run into each other?"

I always wanted to go to Massachusetts. Basically just the Salem part though. I wanted to take one of those tours that led you through the Salem Witch trials. Stuff like that always fascinated me; the time period, the witchcraft. I had read up on it ever since I was a little girl.

"Yeah, I know, I thought I'd never see you again." He seemed happy to see her but then again there was something in his voice. Something that I recognized; he wasn't comfortable about what was going on. Maybe it was just me, maybe he liked her.

Dean cleared his throat, obviously bothered that we weren't being introduced. Meg noticed us behind Sam and rolled her eyes. "Dude, cover your mouth." Dean looked surprised and Sam smiled a little.

He turned so that he facing Meg and us. "Yeah, um, I'm sorry, Meg. This is, uh—this is my brother, Dean and his girlfriend Andy. She's a family friend."

"This is Dean and Andy?"

"You've heard of us I take it?" Dean asked.

"Oh, yeah. I've heard of you two. Nice—the way you treat Sam like luggage."

I definitely heard her wrong. "Sorry?"

"And you, he told me all about you. The way you two used to be best friends. And now since you're sleeping with him," She pointed at Dean, "you can't even hear Sam out to agree with him."

I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped open. "What?"

Sam shook his head, looking at me sympathetically. "Meg, it's all right."

Dean whistled slowly and I crossed my arms over my chest. "Okay, awkward."

"I need a drink."

Dean nodded. "I second that."

"Who the hell was that?" I asked Dean as we headed outside to the Impala, skipping the drinks all together. Like more booze would help when driving back to the motel.

He shrugged, opening the door for me. "Someone close enough that we can be bitched about to."

We got to the car and I stopped for a minute, Dean almost running into me. "I'm not biased am I?"

Dean hesitated for a moment. "I don't think so."

"You don't know what biased means do you?"

He looked at me insulted. "I'm not an idiot Andy, I'm just thinking._ I_ don't think you are, but maybe that's because you end up agreeing with me."

"I was only swayed once! You threatened me with 'you'll have to sleep in the tub'!"

"Yeah well, seeing as how this conversation might go," I saw Sam come out of the bar, "Sam might be given that offer."

"Who the hell was she?" I asked as Sam approached us.

Sam shrugged. It was a movement that seemed to upset Dean. Like that whole conversation in there and what she had said to us was alright. "I don't really know. I only met her once. Meeting up with her again? I don't know, man, it's weird."

"And what was she saying? We treat you like luggage? What, were you bitchin' about us to some chick?" Dean asked, stepping back from the car.

"Look, I'm sorry." It was the second time I got an apology from him today. One day he'd start to run out. "It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana. But that's not important, just listen—"

"Well, is there any truth to what she's saying?" I asked. "Do I not have a mind of my own? Can't I make decisions without being swayed?"

"No, of course not. Look, I was upset when I told her all that. I'm sorry, now would you listen?" There was an edge that cut through me and it obviously annoyed Dean as well. We wanted to talk about what was said and Sam kept changing the topic.

Sam spelled aggravation sometimes. "What?"

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, guys."

"Yeah, tell me about it. She wasn't even that into me." Dean said, cocking his head to see my reaction. When I rolled my eyes and didn't really give one he smiled and put an arm around my waist.

"No, man, I mean like our kind of strange."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"I met Meg weeks ago, literally on the side of the road. And now, I run into her in some random Chicago bar? I mean, the same bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural?" Sam put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Look, I could be wrong, I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on."

Dean smirked. "Well, I bet you'd like to. I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?" Sam rolled his eyes and laughed slightly.

I nodded. "Maybe you're thinkin' a little too much with your upstairs brain, huh?"

Sam wasn't amused. I figured it was payback for being such a bitch in the bar. "Do me a favor. Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and see if you can dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor."

Dean looked at me confused as Sam turned to walk away. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna watch Meg."

It took me and Dean at least a half a minute to stop laughing. "Yeah, you are."

Sam cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. "You two are children. I just wanna see what's what. Better safe than sorry."

Dean opened the car door for me and leaned over the frame to yell to Sam. "Hey, don't get caught! I'll have to lend you my restraining order!"

I laughed, looking out the driver window to see Sam flip Dean off. Oh yeah, he was definitely into her.

0o0o0o0o

"Okay, so what exactly are we looking for?" I asked, coming out of the bathroom. Dean was sitting in a chair and reading something off the laptop.

He looked up at me as I dried my hair and placed the towel on Sam's bed. "Damn it, Andy." He sounded angry and I put my hair behind my ear, trying to figure out what I did wrong.

"What?"

"You can't look like that after a shower. We have work to do."

I smiled and looked down at myself for a moment. I was wearing small black mini shorts and one of Dean's white t-shirts. Apparently the shorts were persuading him. I rolled my eyes; damn horn dog.

"Fine, then I won't come near you." I said grabbing some books and flopping down on his bed. I opened the book on the pillow and laid down on my stomach to read it. I didn't hear him get up from the chair but suddenly he was right next to me, turning me over. He laid down on top of me, leaving kisses along my cheek and jugular.

"I thought we were supposed to work."

He grunted. "This is an expedition."

I smiled. "Right, I forgot that symbol must be somewhere on my body." Like uncharted territory…I must have been greatly intriguing.

He leaned down and started pulling my shirt up. "One way to find out." His eyes darted to mine and smiled as he kissed my navel. He started to circle my belly button with his lips and I closed my eyes for a moment; trying to think of a reason he should stop. Nothing was rushing to my mind.

"You could have taken a shower with me." I said, sitting up. He let his hands rest on my legs and shrugged.

"Could have, but why clean up now when you fully intend on being dirty later?"

I pushed him playfully and reached back to get the book. "Come on. Work."

"Can I sit over here mom?" he asked, mocking my forceful tone.

I nodded and rubbed his shoulder. "If you can behave."

He leaned in close to me and brushed his lips against mine. He knew what this was doing to me and he loved the tease that he was being. "Is this behaving?" he whispered.

I put down the book and threw my arms around his neck, pushing my lips against his. He responded, wrapping his arms tightly around my small waist. He leaned back on the bed and kissed back just as fast, pushing his tongue against mine.

Crap, he was good at persuasion. No wonder Dean and I could never be trusted to look stuff up. I pushed myself up, pressing my hands against his chest. "You're a jerk."

He smiled, cocking his head to the side. "I'm the best persuasive jerk you know."

"Okay, jerk still being the main point of that sentence." I got up and went to sit at the laptop. I moved my finger over the touch pad to bring the screen out of the moving screensaver.

A page popped up that I wasn't sure what to feel about. I looked to Dean and he sat up on the bed, looking at me then at the floor. I swallowed looking back at the internet page.

"Funeral processions?"

Dean nodded and came to stand next to me. "I was looking up Meredith's funeral date and I found that."

"Jason's funeral?" I wasn't sure what else to say but that.

"I was thinking you'd want to know when it was in case you wanted to go. For closure or something."

I nodded and scrolled down the page. There was a picture of Jason and his brother at the bottom of the page. "Right, closure." I said quietly.

Dean squeezed my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Mmhmm." I got up and headed for the bathroom. "I'm gonna go the bathroom."

Dean was looking at me concerned as I closed the door but I closed it anyways. I took a deep breath and turned the water on and splashed some over my face. I wondered if I would have enough courage to go to the funeral. I wanted to go, I mean Dean was right. This would prove to be closure and I could finally work on being alright. It would be hard to handle. I couldn't imagine just standing there among his friends and family knowing what I know. Knowing I was there when he died and that I could have done something.

I shook my head angrily, shooing away the tears filling my eyelids. The funeral was in a week. I wondered if I could mentally prepare myself by then. I wondered if I could cry the tears out now to be completely dry when I stood there; watching him being lowered into the ground.

Just like my father and mother had been. I hadn't cried at their funerals either.

0o0o0o0o

After a few minutes Dean was knocking on the door. "Andy? Hey babe, you okay?"

Second time he'd asked me that and the bullshit answer was the same. I opened the door and nodded. "Mhmm. Did you find out that symbol while I was sulking?" I asked walking out of the bathroom.

Dean smiled. "I flipped through a few pages while leaning against the bathroom door."

"And?"

"And nothing. I'm gonna have to call Caleb, one of my dad's friends."

I nodded and walked over to the journal to hand it to him. "Look him up and give him a call. I'll look up on Meg."

Dean nodded and gave me a kiss on the head. I looked at the floor as he pulled away and head over to the computer. Focus on the work and not the page that I was clicking out of. I shut down the computer and took out the phonebook, looking for Andover or Meg Masters. She checked out and I motioned to Dean that she did. He was pacing while on the phone and he nodded, catching my wave.

I sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. I turned the TV on and started flipping through the fuzzy channels. Dean plopped himself next to me and took the remote to turn the volume down as he called Sam.

"Let me guess. You're lurkin' outside that poor girl's apartment, aren't you?" I looked to Dean and he was smiling. He waited for a response and then rolled his eyes. "You've got a funny way of showin' your affection pal."

A few more minutes and he looked to me. I'm guessing he wanted the phonebook so I handed it to him. He nodded in thanks and looked at the page. "Yeah, Andy found her. Sorry, man, she checks out. There is a Meg Masters in the Andover phonebook."

Dean handed the phone to me. I looked at him confused and I rolled my eyes. He wanted full control over the remote while I was talking with Sam. "The symbol? Turned out it's Zoroastrian. Very, very old school, like two thousand years before Christ. It's a sigil for a Daeva."

I put Sam on speaker and Dean glared at me apparently finding a good channel. "Basically demonic pit bulls." I answered Sam.

"So, someone's controlling it?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'. And, from what I gather, it's pretty risky business, too. These suckers tend to bite the hand that feeds them. And, uh, the arms, and torsos…" I placed a hand over Dean's mouth and interrupted before the rambling got even worse.

"And nobody knows what they look like, nobody recorded it. I mean, summoning a demon that ancient? Someone really knows their stuff."

He poked me in the side, causing me jerk. He raised his eyebrows at me; apparently he hadn't known I was ticklish.

"I think we've got a major player in town." Dean said, shaking my hand off. He continued to look at me like he planned to do something and took the phone from my hand. "Now, why don't you go give that girl a private strip-o-gram?" he asked Sam.

I heard Sam grunt. "Bite me."

Dean smiled. "Sorry pal, my teeth are busy at the moment." I rolled my eyes. His teeth would be no where near my skin tonight.

He hung up the phone and wrapped an arm around my waist. I tried to struggle from his grasp but he was stronger and all in all I enjoyed being pulled close to him. "Now, is someone ticklish?" he asked me.

He started to tickle my sides with his hands and I burst out laughing trying to wrench free of him. "Dean! Stop, please!"

"Sorry, I can't hear you, TV's too loud." He laughed right along with me, most likely enjoying my body bucking against his. Like I said: horn dog.

I managed to wiggle free but only because he let me and I leaned my head down on his chest. I was breathing heavily and he started to run his fingers through my hair.

"Jerk."

I could feel him smile. "Bitch."

"You can't call me that. You call Sam that." I said shifting on the bed. He leaned up and pulled the covers over me, continuing to stroke my hair as he sat back.

"Demonic Pit bull?" he asked and I slapped his stomach.

"Very funny."

"Fine, I'll go with brat."

"How original." I grabbed the remote from him, trying to find another channel that wasn't the news or sports.

"It's either brat or pit bull." Knew I had no choice there.

"Fine." I said with a yawn, giving him back the remote. "You find something."

He sighed, switching hands for a moment to change the channel. He found a soap opera, that I'm pretty sure was in Spanish, and left it on. Not much to choose from in a motel room.

"What do they call these?" he asked me.

"Telenovelas." I answered, another yawn following. "Spanish language suds."

He continued to run his hand through my hair and I wrapped one arm around his waist, laying my head back down on him. He rubbed my shoulder then and I shook my head. "That's not fair."

"What?" Like he didn't know what he was doing.

"That puts me right to sleep." I said drowsily. I closed my eyes and felt him lean down to give me a small kiss on the lips.

Right, he didn't know what he was doing at all.

0o0o0o0o

I slowly woke up to someone shaking me. Not hard, just a slight push to wake me up. "Andy? Sam's back babe. I'd let you sleep but he has information to tell us." Dean said apologetically.

I sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from my eyes. "Its okay, I'm up."

Sam sat across from us on his bed and Dean pulled me to sit on his lap. Guess that was the easiest way to hold me up so I wouldn't fall back asleep.

"What'd you find out?" I asked, enjoying the rubbing of Dean's hands against my waist.

"I followed Meg to a warehouse, looks like she was using that black altar to control the Daeva."

"So, Sammy's got a thing for the bad girl." Dean chuckled and Sam rolled his eyes. "And what's the deal with that bowl again?"

"She was talking into it. The way witches used to scry into crystal balls or animal entrails. She was communicating with someone."

"With who? With the Daeva?" I asked.

"No, you guys said those things were savages. No, this was someone different. Someone who's giving her orders. Someone who's comin' to that warehouse."

Dean cleared his throat, motioning to the laptop. It was now open and Dean must have done some research after I had fallen asleep. "You'll never believe what I found. The first victim, the old man—he spent his whole life in Chicago, but he wasn't born here."

"Where was he born?" Sam asked, not catching on.

"Lawrence, Kansas."

Dean nodded. "Mmhmm. Meredith, second victim—turns out she was adopted. And guess where she's from."

"Lawrence, Kansas." I filled in.

Sam looked shocked. "Holy crap. I mean, it _is_ where the demon killed Mom. That's where everything started. So, you think Meg's tied up with the demon?" Sam asked, looking directly at Dean.

"I think it's a definite possibility."

I looked at them confused. "But I don't understand. What's the significance of Lawrence? And how do these Daeva things fit in?"

Dean sighed and I felt his chest push me up and down, right along with his breathing. "Beats me. But I say we trash that black altar, grab Meg, and have ourselves a friendly little interrogation."

Sam shook his head. "No, we can't. We shouldn't tip her off. We've gotta stake out that warehouse. We've gotta see who, or what, is showin' up to meet her."

"I'll tell you one thing. I don't think we should do this alone." I looked at him questioningly. But when I looked at Sam and saw he understood, Dean could only be talking about one person. Their dad.

0o0o0o

"God, could you imagine if we actually found that damn thing? That demon?" Sam asked Dean as we loaded all the weapons we could find. Sam basically ransacked the damn trunk, bringing everything into the motel room to see if it worked properly.

Dean loaded a gun. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, all right?"

I looked to Sam, trying to eye him to shut up. He either saw me and ignored it or just kept on going. "I know. I'm just sayin', what if we did? What if this whole thing was over tonight? Man, I'd sleep for a month. Go back to school—be a person again."

Wrong way to say that sentence. I looked at Dean who stopped loading the weapon. Sam shouldn't have mentioned that school would make him a person. So what were me and Dean? Animals? Just because we hadn't gone to college like him?

Dean hadn't picked it up that way. He was more focused on, "You wanna go back to school?"

Sam nodded, running rag over a dagger. It reminded me of the one Sam had gotten me. I wish I still had it. "Yeah, once we're done huntin' the thing." Dean said nothing. Just grunted and continued to clean and load the guns. "I mean, what are you gonna do when it's all over?" He looked at both me and Dean now.

I sighed, not wanting to say this but knowing it was true. Knowing it was exactly what Dean was thinking. "It's never gonna be over."

Dean nodded, agreeing. "There's gonna be others. There's always gonna be somethin' to hunt."

"But there's got to be somethin' that you want for yourself, for both of you?"

I knew what he was implying. With the damn demon gone, our lives could be a bit normal. Sam could go back to school and Dean and I could get an apartment together, have a life. But he didn't understand one thing. That other demons and spirits, they'd still ruin people's lives and it was our job to protect and help them if we could. It wasn't our job to save everyone, but we couldn't risk the few lives that we could save for a normal life. The scales didn't tip that way.

Suddenly Dean dropped the weapon on the bed. "Yeah, I don't want you to leave the second this thing's over, Sam." He walked over to the dresser.

Sam looked at Dean and then at me, like all of a sudden because I was dating Dean I was psychic and knew why he did the things he did. "Dude, what's your problem?"

"Why do you think I drag you everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think I came and got you at Stanford in the first place?"

"Cause Dad was in trouble. Cause you and Andy wanted to find the thing that killed our Mom's. You needed my help."

Dean sighed, running hand over his face. "Yes, that, but it's more than that, man." This was more emotional than I've ever seen him. You and me and Dad—I mean, I want us….I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family again."

Sam shifted on his feet and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable standing there hearing this. "Dean, we _are_ a family. I'd do anything for you. But things will never be the way they were before."

Dean looked heartbroken and he looked at me sadly. "Could be." That was for Sam, but I was pretty sure he couldn't look at him without shedding small tears.

"I don't want them to be. I'm not gonna live this life forever. Dean, when this is all over, you're gonna have to let me go my own way." Sam said quietly. "I'm gonna put this back in the trunk."

Sam picked up the weapons bag and left to put it in the Impala. Dean was standing against the dresser looking at the spot where Sam had left. I approached him slowly and put a hand on his arm.

"Hey…you okay?" Soft and gentle words that were hopefully comforting and not babying. He'd use them for me. He nodded but didn't say anything. I cupped his cheek and forced his eyes to meet mine. I stroked his cheek as a single tear fell from his eye. "I'll always be here with you, you know that?"

He nodded, trying to give me a smile. "I know."

"Because if I leave…I'm gonna have to take that car with me."

He chuckled and I smiled, happy to hear the sound. He brought his hand up and stroked the one I had on his cheek. "Thank you." It was barely above a whisper, but I heard it.

I kissed him on the lips. "No need to thank me. I wasn't saying that for you. It was the truth."

"I'm glad you're so blunt then." There was the old Dean. His rough voice wasn't soft and hurt like it had been before. I stroked his cheek a few more times before letting go.

"You should shave." I said making him smile.

"I liked you better when you lied to me about my rugged good features."

"You have good features?" I looked at him shocked.

He pulled me close and kissed me gently. "I have great features…and so do you."

I smiled, pushing myself against him. "Well, I already knew that."

"Brat."

I pulled away and picked up my jacket. "Jerk."

0o0o0o0

We reached the warehouse and climbed through the elevator gate, like I'm guessing Sam had done before. From what I could see, Dean's head being the main blockage of the view, Meg was standing at an altar. She was speaking in an ancient language and we quietly squeezed through the space between the gate and wall. We moved quickly and softly, trying not to alert Meg of our presence. We hid behind some crates and drew our guns.

"Guys." Meg suddenly said. We all looked at each other stunned; I knew this was too damn easy. "Hiding's a little bit childish, don't you think? Why don't you come out?"

We came out from behind the boxes, weapons at the ready in case anything jumped out of nowhere. "So, where's your little Daeva friend?" Dean asked.

Meg smiled. "Around. You know, that shotgun's not gonna do much good."

Dean cocked the gun. "Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. The shotgun's not for the demon."

"So, who is it, Meg? Who's coming? Who are you waiting for?" Sam demanded.

Meg's smile grew wider and I noticed that some of the shadows on the walls…weren't ours. "You."

One knocked Sam to the ground and threw Dean back into the crates. I tried moving but I was thrown back against a pole. It felt like my spinal cord was being ripped from my body. Scratches started to form on my face and I cried out in pain. The room went black, Meg's laughter the last thing I heard.

0o0o0o0o

I think Dean and Sam had been awake for a lot longer than I had been. I shook my head, leaning back. I was tied around the same freakin pole that had knocked me out. Ironic.

"Andy you alright?" Sam asked me.

"We were sure worried about you sweetheart." Meg cooed and I glared at her. Blood was dripping from the cuts on my face onto the faded jeans I had on.

"Hey, Sam? Don't take this the wrong way, but your girlfriend..." He grunted turning to look at Meg. "Is a bitch."

Sam shook his head, clearly pissed. "This, the whole thing, was a trap. Running into you at the bar, following you here, hearin' what you had to say. It was all a set-up, wasn't it?"

I looked to Dean as Sam was talking. He mouthed if I was okay and I shrugged. Obviously could have been better. "You killed those two people for nothing." I said disgusted as I caught the last part of Sam's sentence.

Meg really liked the smiling. I guess she had a lot to smile about. She had us hog tied to poles. We were basically sitting ducks for her and for her demons. "Baby, I've killed a lot more for a lot less."

"You trapped us. Good for you. It's Miller time." Dean spat and then smiled. "But why don't you kill us already?"

"Okay, Dean. Not the smartest thing." I said angrily.

"Girlfriends right. Not very quick on the uptake, are we?" She crouched down and leaned close into Dean. "This trap isn't for you."

Dean looked puzzled and it clicked in my head. "Your dad. It's a trap for your Dad."

Dean looked at me and then to Meg. He suddenly let out a few harsh laughs. "Oh, sweetheart—you're dumber than you look. 'Cause even if Dad was in town, which he is not, he wouldn't walk into something like this. He's too good."

Meg nodded, running a hand over Dean's thigh. It was making me squirm and Dean looked pissed. At least I knew he wasn't enjoying it. "He is pretty good. I'll give you that." She stood for a moment but then straddled his legs. "But you see, he has one weakness."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"You. He lets his guard down around his boys."

"Well, I've got news for ya. It's gonna take a lot more than some…._shadow_ to kill him." Dean said.

She sat down completely on his legs and Dean bucked his hips, trying to get her off.

She smiled, turning to look at him. "Now, now. Calm those legs down. Wouldn't want to give your girlfriend the wrong idea do you?" She stroked his legs again.

"Don't flatter yourself." He spat. Dean was biting the insides of his cheeks. It was something he did when he was furious.

"Why you doin' this, Meg? What kind of deal you got worked out here, huh? And with who?" I asked. I was just trying to grab her attention. It was making me squirm her on Dean like that. But I bet she knew that.

She turned to look at me, not thrilled I was trying to distract her. "I'm doing this for the same reasons you do what you do—loyalty. Love. Like the love you had for Mommy—and Jason."

"Leave her alone." Dean warned pulling on the rope that held his hands together around the pole.

My expression turned cold. "Go to hell."

She smiled, picking herself up off of Dean. She leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Baby, I'm already there."

I jerked my head away from her. She slid over to Sam and sat herself on him as well. "Come on, Sam. There's no need to be nasty." She cooed, basically throwing herself on him.

I gagged. "There's no way we're that bad."

Dean nodded, grimacing himself. "Get a room, you two."

"I think we both know how you really feel about me." She continued, kissing Sam's neck. "You know, I saw you watching me—changing in my apartment. Turned you on, didn't it?"

"Okay, looks like being a horn dog is a family trait." I said raising my eyebrows and Sam turned to glare at me.

Dean chuckled, despite the situation and leaned back against his pole.

"You wanna have fun?" Sam was asking her. "Go ahead then. I'm a little tied up right now."

A noise from Dean's side of the room made her stop and Dean and I froze on the spot. She got up and headed over to Dean's post, taking a knife out of Dean's hands. He smiled guiltily and she threw it across the room.

"Now, were you just trying to distract me while your brother cuts free?" Meg asked, her voice sultry.

Sam smiled and for a minute, I thought he was crazy. "No. No. That's because I have a knife of my own." Meg looked confused but then Sam broke free of his ropes and slammed his head against hers. She fell back against the floor while Sam groaned in pain.

"Sam! Get the altar." Dean yelled.

Sam rushed over to the alter and overturned it. The shadow demons appeared and grabbed Meg. She was dragged across the floor and I stared in surprise as she was thrown through the window of the warehouse. I turned my head and tried not to hear the sickening thud of her bones hitting the pavement. Sam cut Dean's ropes and Dean did the same for mine.

Dean put an arm around my waist to help me up and we all headed towards the window. I'm pretty sure none of us thought she was dead. But there she was limbs turning over others, on the ground. She had to be dead and it put me at ease.

"So, I guess the Daevas didn't like being bossed around." Sam observed.

Dean nodded. "Next time you wanna get laid, find a girl that's not so buckets-o'-crazy, huh?"

I smiled and turned around with Dean to walk out with him.

0o0o0o0o

"Why didn't you just leave that stuff in the car?" Dean asked Sam as we approached the room.

I laughed at Sam's face. He was such a drama queen sometimes. "I said it before, and I'll say it again—better safe than sorry."

Dean unlocked the door and turned on the light as we all went into the room. Dean stopped suddenly and I ran right into him.

"Dean what the…"

He was staring at someone in our room. If I hadn't been standing right there I wouldn't have believed it.

"Dad?" Dean asked.

John turned and smiled at us. "Hey, guys."

Dean and John walked towards each other, embracing each other in a long hug. Sam and I looked on sadly, occasionally turning to each other to smile. This is what Dean had wanted for so long. To find his dad and to know he was okay. Part of me envied him. I'd give anything to embrace my father in a hug like that one.

Dean and John pulled apart and John smiled at me. "Andy?"

I smiled, rushing into his arms. He pulled back after a moment and ran a hand through my hair. "Andy, you've gotten more beautiful. If that's even possible." I blushed in thanks and let go of him, walking over to Dean. He smiled and reached down to grab my hand tightly.

"Hi, Sam." John said, now looking at the tallest Winchester.

Sam placed the weapons bag on the floor and nodded. "Hey, Dad." He said softly.

"Dad, it was a trap. I didn't know, I'm sorry." Dean interrupted.

"It's all right. I thought it might've been. It knows I'm close. It knows I'm gonna kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell—actually kill it." John said.

"Let us come with you. We'll help." Dean gave Sam a warning look.

"No, Sam. Not yet. Just try to understand. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in a crossfire. I don't want you hurt. Listen, Sammy, last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight."

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir."

That night, rating among some others, was one of the worst nights of my life. I remember feeling so angry at John and Dean both. I was ready to go right along with Sam myself.

"It's good to see you again. It's been a long time."

Sam nodded, tears falling down his cheeks. "Too long." Sam and John embraced and I could feel Dean squeeze my hand and smile at the two. A minute later they pulled apart. Suddenly John was thrown against the cabinets and Sam was thrown back as well. I was thrown into the dresser and Dean bellowed at the top of his lungs.

The perfect moment would remain ruined.

0o0o0o

It had to be the shadow demon. It was the only thing it could be. I screamed in pain as the shadow attacked my own sending harsh scratches across my arms and chest.

"Shut your eyes! These things are shadow demons, so let's light 'em up!" Sam screamed. I didn't need to be told twice and I shut my eyes. I'm guessing he lit a flare because the room erupted in a brilliant white light. The shadows howled and disappeared.

I coughed as Sam helped me off the floor and Dean helped John.

"All right, come on. We don't have much time. As soon as the flare's out, they'll be back." Sam said as he helped me lean against the car.

"Wait, wait. Sam, wait. Dad, you can't come with us." Dean said, coughing.

Sam was going to spiral downward all over again wasn't he? "What? What are you talkin' about?"

I grabbed my side and winced. "You guys are beat to hell." John observed, watching me.

"We'll be alright." I answered.

"Dean, we should stick together. We'll go after those demons—"

Dean hit his hand against the Impala angrily, making me jump. "Sam! Listen to me! We almost got Dad killed in there. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop, they're gonna use us to get to him. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us."

Sam didn't look like he believed him and shook his head. He put hand on John's shoulder. If John left, he would lose Sam's trust all over again. "Dad, no. After everything, after all the time we spent lookin' for you—please. I gotta be a part of this fight." He was begging him and I shook my head, pulling the car door open. I winced, crawling inside. I was not looking for another tearful goodbye. Dean watched me as I got comfortable in the back and he motioned that he'd be back there in one minute.

I heard John say that the fight was just starting and that we would all have a part to play. I shook my head. To me and Dean that sounded fine. We could wait. But that wouldn't stop Sam from the way he was feeling. I saw Sam pat John's shoulder once and tried to judge his emotions as he turned and got into the driver's seat of the car. Angry, depressed, upset, fed up…so many emotions at once.

Dean and John shared one last look before John turned to get in his truck. Dean just shook his head and crawled into the back. This fight wasn't starting fast enough for any of us; and that was the part that was unsettling.

0o0o0o

Everyone was mostly quiet on the way to the other motel. I'm guessing Sam was trying to concentrate on the road instead of how angry he was and Dean was falling asleep against the car. He didn't seem too preoccupied by the fact that we were all getting blood on the leather. I'm sure he was trying to block that out, among other things.

Nobody said anything until we got up to the motel room and closed the door. Sam handed Dean the keys and he pocketed them. "Anyone want to help me cut up some gauze?"

That's what started it. How? I have no idea. It seemed like it wouldn't have taken much to set anyone off. "We shouldn't have let him go."

I shook my head no. This was _not_ going to happen. We were all upset and hurt; no, not tonight.

But Dean took it anyway, turning slowly to look at him. He had just locked the door. He hadn't even gotten near the bed I was sitting on.

"You know we had to Sam. I don't want to do this now. I'm hurt and tired and frankly I just want a shower and sleep alright?"

Sam shook his head angrily. "Knew this is why I should have left after the first hunt." He whispered that… but not quiet enough. If I heard it, so had Dean.

He whipped around, getting close to Sam's face. "What did you say?"

I stood up from the bed slowly. When these two really got into a fight I didn't know what to do. And it wasn't like the normal bitchfits about the hunts or misplaced weapons and who picks the music. I'm talking about screaming and yelling that'll wake the neighbors. It was a tough situation to handle because I couldn't settle both down at one time; they wouldn't listen. Dean was usually the only one I could get to calm down. But that was only sometimes.

"Dean, come on. Just back off." I worked my way between them, putting my hands on Dean's chest. I tried pushing him back a bit but he was stronger than me and if he wanted to get past me to get to Sam he would. "Please, Dean?"

I was putting on the begging to sway him. It was upsetting really. Did they need to fucking fight every time when this conversation started? And it usually started the same too. Dean following orders, Sam wanting to go his own way or have people understand his point of view. Bitch, jerk; in not a playful manner, selfish bastard, good little soldier…the name calling went on forever. I pushed on Dean's chest again, not wanting him to get any closer to Sam. The whole dad thing really brought out the worst in them. Not John specifically but because they both had their own personal reasons on how to listen to him and it always brought me in the middle.

Sam didn't want to be bossed around by Dean who was just trying to follow orders and keep the peace. So honestly, it only looked like Sam was stirring the waters. And the thing about it was that I almost agreed with him. I agreed that letting John go, after all this time, was a bad idea. But I didn't want to fight about it. After all, I had always gone on Sam's side and fought about it when we were little. Like when we were teens, Sam wanted to go to this school pep rally. Which I found totally normal because hello? We were in high school. But Dean and John attacked the idea, saying that if it didn't have anything to do with hunting then it was not worth experiencing. I remember Dean making a rude question about 'how in the hell could a marching band and a bimbo cheerleader save your life?'. I remembered hating him for it too. But I knew that he made that comment because there was nothing else he could say. He knew where his place was, just like Sam and I did, even though he wanted to go just as bad and we did.

"Please?" I asked again when the name calling finally died down. My voice was reaching a desperate edge. If they physically started fighting, I wouldn't be able to stop it this time. Dean sighed and backed up a bit. Unfortunately, he was still angry as hell and stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door. I turned to Sam, who was looking for the car keys. They just needed some time apart. "Jesus Sam, give him a break would you?"

Sam rolled his eyes, realizing that Dean must have had the keys in his pocket. "Bullshit Andy. We both know you agree with me on this one. Don't side with him because he's your boyfriend."

Here we go with that again. "You know, you have to see where he's coming from Sam. He's the oldest. He has to have all the responsibility forced on him. He had to take care of you and me when John went out on hunts." I threw my hands up in exasperation as he headed for the motel door. "He still takes care of us if you haven't noticed!" I yelled as he shut the door.

I went to lean up against the bathroom door and heard the sink running. I knocked lightly. "Dean? Can I come in?" Nothing. I sighed. "Please? I've got beer and gauze." I heard shuffling and then the door unlock. He sat back on the tub as I came in and closed the door. "Hey baby." I said tenderly, kneeling in front of him. "You okay?"

Dean sighed and shook his head no. He cracked open the beer and took a long swig, handing it to me to do the same. I took a small sip and set it on the closed toilet seat. I un-wrapped the gauze and set the tape aside. I cleared my throat and stood up to soak a few washcloths in the sink. I leaned back down and gingerly placed a hand on his back. He was still pretty upset and angry so I didn't know of he wanted to be touched right now. When he didn't flinch or move away I started rubbing his back gently.

"You didn't hear all that did you?" Although he probably did. I had been screaming, the walls were thin and Dean wasn't deaf.

Dean lifted his head and I saw tears working their way past his eyelids. He was trying hard not to let them fall so he just nodded and didn't say anything. I knew this whole thing with his dad really wrecked his emotions. It was the only time I ever saw Dean get so upset.

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

He chuckled and rubbed his hands together. "For sticking up for me?"

"No, for Sam being an ass."

Dean laughed again. It was easier than crying I guess. A few stray tears would fall but Dean would never full on cry in front of me. So he sucked it up and let me wipe away the few tears that did fall on his cheeks and grab the washcloth to clean him up.

"I love you." He said after a moment. "And I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smiled and handed him the beer. "You'd never have any beer because I'm always the one who picks it up."

He smiled slowly and leaned in to kiss me gently. Nothing else was said all night. Nothing had to be.

0o0o0o0o

UP NEXT:

hell house :D


	36. Chapter 35: Hell House Part 1

0o0o0o0o

Chapter 35: Hell House Part 1

Black was the main color on the bedspread. I dug out every piece of black clothing I owned; which ended up being one tank top, a short skirt, the long sleeveless dress and a sweater. I shook my head, running a hand over my face. This shouldn't have been happening today. Any other day I'd know what to where. Even Sam and Dean knew what the hell to wear and they owned less clothes than I did. I looked at Sam's bed and observed the laid out suits. Exactly the same; except Sam's, obviously, was longer cut. I looked at the time and the funeral was in three hours. I kept trying to put together why the funeral was in Los Angeles instead of San Francisco, where Jason lived. Nonetheless we headed here after Chicago to make sure we had enough time to make the funeral, and we would. If I could pick one flipping thing to wear.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked as he came out of the bathroom. I didn't know how long he had been standing there looking at me and adjusting his towel, he was making sure it was tucked securely around his waist before he moved. The steam from the shower was pouring out of the bathroom and blanketing the room like fog, making me shiver.

"I'm trying to figure out what to wear." I said meekly.

He went past me and grabbed his own clothes off the bed, leaving the dress jacket behind. He shifted the clothes in his hands and came up behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist. The comforting and familiar smell of aftershave and cinnamon filled my senses as he came closer to kiss the back of my head. He then leaned towards the bed, fishing around the small pile of clothes. He picked up the black dress, the one I had worn on our date, and handed it to me. "Wear this."

I nodded as he went into the bathroom to put his dress pants and shirt on. I kind of felt bad that the guys had to drive all the way to LA to go to a funeral, even though they said they didn't mind and wouldn't have it any other way. When stuff like this happened I didn't know how to act. Normally I'd act a bit distant, I was like that when my mom died. But in close quarters and now with Dean being the boyfriend, they were more involved in my life and I couldn't be distant without them thinking something was seriously wrong. I glanced at the motel door and made sure it was locked before I slipped out of my pajamas. Dean was one thing, but all I'd need is for Sam to come in with coffee and I'm in my underwear and bra.

I climbed into the dress, zipping the zipper up on the side. I smoothed it out and looked down at myself. I really wouldn't know if I looked alright until I could use the mirror in the bathroom, even though I've worn this dress a million times. Everything seemed to feel twisted and not look right. I unlocked the door as Dean came out of the bathroom, adjusting his black tie, and walked past him to look in the mirror.

I shook my head, trying over and over again to smooth out the wrinkles I knew weren't really there. "It doesn't look right." Nothing did today.

Dean scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "What? You look fine babe."

Not the sweet names. Not today. "No, I don't. I look a mess." Dean sighed turning around and picking up the clothes I had on the bed. "What are you doing?" I asked him, reaching to pull down the zipper on the dress. "I need to change."

"No, you don't. No matter what you put on Andy, its not going to look right."

He was right but I chose to ignore him. I figured the change of outfit would make everything better. "Just hand me the black skirt Dean."

I tried moving towards his bag, where he had just shoved my clothes into. "You don't need another outfit, baby." He said softly, blocking my path to the bag. He gently lifted my arm and zipped up the dress. "You look beautiful."

I felt wrong when he said that. I shouldn't have looked beautiful, not when the sky was gray and it threatened to rain. But it wasn't like Dean was doing all this on purpose, I knew why I really felt like crap. He always said I was beautiful, it just had a different meaning today.

I tried smiling slightly, even though I'm pretty sure that was warped too. "Thanks." I leaned up to kiss his face. He squeezed me around the waist and looked at the time.

"Sam should be here any time now. Once he gets dressed, we can leave." I sat on the bed and strapped my high heel shoes on. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, watching me confuse one of the straps. These shoes were confusing. The straps circled around you ankle and then you buckled them. Could shoot and burn the bones of the person who made these.

"Yeah, I do. Just having trouble getting moving this morning."

"Well you probably have a hangover. You did have, like, three beers before bed last night."

I shrugged. "It's not like you weren't keeping up with me."

"Yeah, but _I_ have a killer headache. Unlike someone." He commented pointedly heading over to where the Advil was. I got up and adjusted my dress and got him some water for the pills.

"Actually my head was killing when I woke up. Took Advil and the shower helped." I handed him the water ad he nodded in thanks as he took a sip. "Coffee will too if Sam ever brings it back."

He nodded, looking at the motel door. "Yeah, you're telling me. Where the hell did he go to pick it up? Colombia?"

"Maybe he fell in love the cashier at Starbucks."

Dean looked over and smiled at me. "Right, just because that happened to you…"

I rolled my eyes. "Please, he was totally checking you out. What have I told you about trying to keep stuff like that to yourself?"

Dean shrugged. "I'm totally irresistible to anyone I meet. It's a gift."

I sat on the bed. "It's a plague."

"Plague you've got, sweetheart." He said, making me smile. He came closer and pushed me back on the bed and kissed me softly. Suddenly the door opened and Sam came in with the coffee.

Sam grimaced. "Well at least you're wearing clothes." He shifted the coffees, miraculously without spilling them, and closed the door.

Dean pushed himself off the bed and grabbed a coffee from him. "This time, next time it might not be so safe."

"Sorry, I took so long." Sam apologized. "You wouldn't have believed the line."

"Did it stretch to Colombia?" Dean asked and I rolled my eyes.

Sam ignored the joke he didn't catch and handed me the coffee. "How much time do we have?"

"About an hour here, we have to shag ass to drive to the cemetery." Dean responded, handing me my black sweater.

Sam put his own coffee down and picked up his pants and button down. "Just me getting ready then? You guys all set?"

"All set." Dean said as he slipped on the dress jacket, adjusting the collar.

Right, all set. I was ready to mention that I was going to get another shower or curl my hair or something totally unneeded that they both knew I was using to just waste time. I didn't care, I felt like mentioning anything. I didn't want to admit that was scared to go and stand in front of his friends and family like I was a part of his life. I hadn't been, I was just a part of his death.

0o0o0o0

Two hours, forty-five minutes and thirteen seconds until the funeral started. We were stuck in traffic and every time the car would move a little I got butterflies in my stomach. And not the kind that were friendly and excited, the kind that ate the walls of your stomach and made you feel light headed and sick. I had been mostly quiet for the entire ride, except the times where Dean would swear and honk the horn at the car ahead of us. I'd have to tell him that he was aggravating my headache for him to calm down. Dean switched into another lane, pulling us somewhat ahead of traffic and I felt my stomach lurch.

"You alright?" Dean asked, Sam looking back at me. I could tell they were both worried that I hadn't said anything from the minute we got in the car.

I shook my head. "No, I'm carsick." I said quietly and Dean rolled the window down to let fresh air into the back.

"You want me to pull the car over?" He asked.

"No, I'll be okay. Just drive." Just get us there, I wanted to say. Just get us there so I can get it over with.

We reached the cemetery parking lot an hour later and I sat there for a few moments as the guys started to get out of the car, and looked around the parking lot. I tried to see if I knew anyone or if I recognized any of the cars.

"You want an umbrella?" Sam asked as I got out. "It's gonna pour."

Dean took one. "I'll share with her."

Sam grabbed one for himself and closed the trunk. I stood among the other grievers and watched them pass me and onto the grassy hills where graves stood. I could remember hours spent looking at my father's headstone and crying my eyes out against the cold stone. I wondered if that would be anything like today. I reached up and twisted the coin that hung around my neck. I observed the casket as we came closer to it. It was sleek and black, nothing like my father's casket. His was wood. I remembered something that hadn't bothered me until this very moment. I remembered thinking, 'Oh, wood. Good, wood's easier if you need to smash the box to salt and burn the bones'. I hadn't realized how twisted and sick this job had made me sometimes. Of all things to think of about my father, that was one of the first things that came to mind when I had been at his funeral.

I stopped suddenly, seeing someone up ahead. It was Jason's mother, God what was her name? How could I approach her and give her my condolences if I couldn't even remember her name? Amy. Right that was it.

"Andy?" Dean asked, turning around to see I had stopped. "What's wrong?"

Was he serious? He knew how many things I must have been thinking at once and he was asking me to what? Name one? "His mom, oh God, Dean. I can't do this." I shook my head, turning around.

"Hey, hey…" Dean said rushing to block me to the parking lot. He grabbed my shoulders and held me still. "Yes, you can. Come on…" He reached down and grabbed my hand. "I'll be right here, alright? You can do it."

I took a deep, shaky breath and nodded, following him back to stand over near where Sam was. Amy recognized me as soon as she saw me.

"Andy, baby, he'd be so happy to see you." She said sullenly. Her normal voice had lost it's sparkle and she barely looked at me when she talked.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Amy." My voice apologized for so much more.

"We are gathered here to say farewell to Jason Bey." The priest started and the talking died down. The thunder of oncoming rain was loud and not too far distant. "And to commit him into the hands of God."

He bowed his head and everyone said their own silent prayer. Some for Jason, others for themselves, some prayed that they didn't end up here anytime soon. I should know, I prayed for all three. The rain was starting to fall, a small drizzle, but people knew it was going to be worse and put up their umbrellas. Dean and Sam did the same but I stood still waiting for the rain to come.

"In the Name of God, the merciful Father, we commit the body of Jason Bey to the peace of the grave." The priest prayed and the word grave throbbed in my ears, like a really loud bell had rung.

I could feel eyes on me and I couldn't determine whether they were Dean's or Jason's mom or everyone there. I glanced at Dean but he was looking at the casket and Sam was looking at the priest. Everyone avoiding everyone else's gazes in hoping not to loose their emotions by doing so. The rain started to pound harder and it sounded like music pattering on the casket and the umbrellas. Dean motioned for me to come under with him but I refused, letting the cold rain hit my skin and wake me up. I was getting soaked and I was shaking from the stubbornness inside me.

"From dust you came, to dust you shall return. Jesus Christ, our Savior, shall raise you up on the last day."

The sky was black enough that I swore that I could see stars or the moon at least. I was surprised the rain was louder than the thunder and the priest never stopped. Didn't even hesitate when the thunder made everyone jump. I wondered how many times it took him to memorize what he had to say, only changing the name, that not a single thing stopped him.

Finally, the casket was being lowered and when I couldn't see anything but Amy stepping foreword and throwing roses into the ground, something broke inside me. I could have sworn it felt like glass shattering. I let out a soft sob that no one seemed to notice in the chaos of rain and flowers but Dean. He pulled me under the umbrella and buried my head in the crook of his arm. My shuddered breaths shook him and he wrapped a strong arm around me to hold me to him. He placed his head on top of mine and kissed my wet hair.

The funeral ended shortly after that and it amazed me how quickly people rushed out of there. Graveyards were a sense of peace and really, when you're alive no one is truly at peace. Life is hard and full of turmoil and I could understand why no one felt comfortable staying.

I threw three white roses from the piles someone had left into the ground where Jason had been lowered. I prayed for him and for his soul and selfishly prayed for mine. I felt like I stood there for hours, watching them throw dirt onto the casket, just like Sam and Dean did after a salt and burning. Dean finally pulled me away and took me back to the car.

It wasn't raining as hard as it was before but drops were still falling from the sky. I crawled into the back seat, Dean following me. Dean handed Sam the keys as Sam sat in the driver's seat, trying to shut the car door as quickly as possible before it got soaked and Dean had a bitchfit. Like his car, which was outside, was somehow supposed to repel the rain.

"You cold Andy?" Sam asked, starting the car.

I nodded as my teeth chattered. I wrapped my arms around myself as the cold air of the car clung to me, making goose bumps appear. Sam turned the heat on low and Dean scooted toward me in the back. He shrugged his jacket off and put it over my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.

"I'm proud of you," he whispered, "you know that right?"

I nodded against his chest and wrapped the jacket tighter around me. Yeah I knew, I was even proud of myself.

0o0o0o0o

We stopped by a diner to get changed in the bathrooms and Dean ordered a whole apple pie to go. I rolled my eyes, him and his pie. I hoped he knew I was sharing it with him. I slipped on black straight jeans and a v-neck sky blue t-shirt.

"Ready?" I asked Sam as he waited in line to pay for the pie. "Where's Dean?"

"Where else? As soon as he got the pie he ran outside to the car to hide it from us. And I'm stuck here to pay."

I smiled, glancing at the parking lot. "You want a piece?" He nodded and a smile grew on his face. He knew out of the two of us I could score two pieces of pie out of Dean better than he could.

"Alright, I'll meet you out there." I squeezed his arm and nodded as he approached the cashier. "Yeah, the crazy man who ran out of here with pie? Unfortunately, he's with me…."

I giggled as I pushed the door open and walked into the parking lot. I saw Dean practically devouring the pie in the front seat and leaned against the car. "Enjoying the pie Dean?"

He looked up and smiled, mouth full of apples and cinnamon. "You can't have any."

I got in the passenger seat. "Really, are you sure about that?"

He nodded incessantly and swallowed. "There's no way you're getting any of this pie Andy. If it was cherry there would be at least a five percent chance. But not with apple." He took another forkful and I rolled my eyes. Oh, Dean. Didn't he know this by now? I was a woman and he was a stupid guy. I could bet my legs I could get that pie from him.

I sat back in the seat. "Do you like this shirt? I think the coin dips too far into the v-neck part." I adjusted the shirt a few times and followed the chain all the way down to the cress of my breasts and as I looked up, he was watching.

Dean shook his head, as if to clear it. "Big, fat, cheater Andrea Core."

"You think I'm fat?" I mocked in the best girlie voice I could and he glared at me. I leaned towards him and made sure I put my hands on his lap. I pushed down on his thighs as I went closer to him. "Are you sure about the pie Dean?"

I started kissing his neck and he almost dropped the pie in his damn lap. "Damn it, Andy." He grumbled as he put the pie down on the dashboard so his hands were free. I let him feel up the sides of me and my face and wherever else his hands traveled. Suddenly, I broke free of the kiss and grabbed the pie.

"I win." I smiled triumphantly and took a bite of the pie. It had been so much harder when I wasn't in a relationship with him and I couldn't taunt him with kissing and touching. I remembered I just whined and distracted him, and that had barely worked. Guy was focused when he had pie.

Dean just shook his head and let me have the rest of it. He looked a bit angry when I gave a small piece to Sam, but I shrugged and stuck my tongue out at him. Although, judging by his expression, I'm guessing he'd never let me get pie off of him that easily ever again.

"Where are we heading?" I asked as I climbed over the front two seats and into the back.

Dean groaned. "The _door_ Andy!"

I rolled my eyes as Sam got in and I situated myself in the back. "Where?"

"Well I was flipping through Dad's journal and there's random newspaper clippings in there, you know, stuff we find interesting but might not be anything." I nodded and leaned foreword. "Month or two ago some kids went missing in Richardson, Texas."

"Like went to a party and then into the woods missing or might have gotten eaten by a hell spawn missing?"

Sam shrugged, running a hand through his hair as Dean started the car. "This group of kids went pokin' around in this local haunted house."

"Haunted by what?" Dean asked.

"Apparently, a pretty misogynistic spirit. Legend goes, it takes girls and strings 'em up in the rafters. Anyway, this group of kids see this dead girl hangin' in the cellar."

I grimaced, of course there was a dead girl streaming from the rafters. What the hell did you expect when you went into a known haunted house and disturbed the hell out of a ghost? "Anybody ID the corpse? Or the morons that went into the house in the first place?"

Dean smiled and pulled the car into the other lane. Sam leaned back in his seat and rested his head against the car window. He was tired, we all were and I knew that was partially my fault. We didn't have a specific job yet and when they could have rested I dragged the boys all the way to LA for a funeral. "Well, that's the thing. By the time the cops got there, the body was gone. So, cops are sayin' the kids were just yankin' chains."

Dean looked back at me for a moment and then to the road. "Well, maybe the cops are right."

"Maybe, but I read a couple of the kids' firsthand accounts. They seem pretty sincere."

"Where'd you read these accounts?" I asked.

Sam hesitated. "Well, I knew we were going to head through Texas to see this thing out. So, uh, last night I searched some local….paranormal websites." Dean rolled his eyes. "And I found one." He was reluctant to name the actual website and I leaned on the back of his seat as if to press him. "Hell Hound's Lair dot com."

I laughed openly and laid down in the backseat. "Let me guess, streaming live out of Mom's basement?" I asked.

Sam laughed. "Yeah, probably."

"Yeah, most of those websites wouldn't know a ghost if it bit 'em in the persqueeter."

I scrunched my eyebrows at Dean's comment. Persqueeter? I was pretty sure he heard that on like, Family Guy last night. Leave it to Dean to pick up words while drunk and use them the next day without even knowing what they meant.

Sam shrugged. "It's worth checking into."

I stretched and caught Dean looking back at me while I was doing it. I smiled at him in the rearview mirror and turned on my side to get some sleep. Dean turned on the radio, and CCR's 'Run through the Jungle' put me out.

0o0o0o0o

I started to wake up as Blue Oyster Cults' 'Fire of Unknown Origin' started up. I shook my head, picking myself up to stretch.

"Hey baby." Dean said, noticing I was awake. "Sleep well?" I winced as my back cracked in a not healthy sounding way. "Guessing that's a no?"

"Ow. That didn't sound right. I think I broke my spinal cord."

"I'll be dating a vegetable."

I shrugged. "I'll be the hottest vegetable there is."

He nodded. "Very true. You sure your alright?"

"I just slept on it wrong or something, I'll be alright. Where are we by the way?" I twisted from side to side trying to get my back to crack. I thought that might relieve some pressure and make it feel better but maybe that'd make it worse.

"Interstate 35."

"Wow, how long was I out?"

"Pretty long. I thought you were awake just as we left CA but you were talking in your sleep." He smiled and I groaned.

"Oh God, what did I say?"

"That you loved me."

I smiled, kind of embarrassed. I leaned foreword and kissed him on the cheek. "Well at least it wasn't about my dream dates with Matt Damon."

"I'm hotter than Matt Damon right?"

I rolled my eyes and then realized that he was serious. "I'm so not answering that question. Has Sam been out all this time too?"

"He woke up once or twice and asked where we were." Dean was suddenly looking on the floor and found something in the cup holders.

"That a spoon?" I asked him and he nodded, grinning stupidly.

I shook my head as Dean stuck the spoon in Sam's mouth. Sam didn't wake up and Dean took out his phone to snap a photo. I leaned foreword to see what it looked like as Dean turned the music up. Sam jerked awake and spit out the spoon.

"A fire of unknown origin took my baby away!" Dean sang along and drummed his hands on the steering wheel.

Sam turned the volume down, clearly not amused. "Haha, very funny."

Dean chuckled. "Sorry. Not a lot of scenery here in east Texas, you kind of gotta make your own. It's bad enough you and Andy were asleep for most of the drive, I had to play Roadside Bingo by myself."

"How troubling for you." I said sarcastically.

"Man, we're not kids anymore, Dean. We're not gonna start that crap up again." Sam said irritated. "That stupid prank stuff—it's stupid, and it always escalates."

"Stupid was mentioned twice, we got it."

"Oh, what's the matter, Sammy, you afraid you're gonna get a little Nair in your shampoo again, huh?" Dean asked smiling. I smirked, that had been funny.

Sam shrugged. "All right. Just remember, you started it."

"Don't I have any say in this?" I asked. I did not want to end up with another bug in food I was about to eat. The last time this prank stuff happened Dean had stuck a worm in one of the cookies John had made for us. _Not_ funny. I was lucky Sam warned me, if I would have bit into that worm, Dean would not be alive today.

"Oh, bring it on, Baldy." Dean taunted and I grinned.

"Where are we, anyway?" Sam asked, ignoring Dean's comment.

"Few hours outside of Richardson. Where are we going to find those kids"

I leaned foreword and looked between the two. "Same place you always find kids in a town like this."

0o0o0o0o0

After hearing millions of different angles from the kids that went to the haunted house, the Winchesters and I were a bit fed up.

We walked out of the diner and back to the car. "Did they all go through that with their eyes closed? Not one of them gave us the same answer."

"Well they did all agree that that kid Craig took them." Sam said opening the backdoor.

I sat in the passenger and waited for Dean to join us in the driver's seat. "And he works at a record store?"

Dean nodded. "We'll go visit him next. After we get a motel room?"

I agreed. "I need a shower."

So we headed up the road and found a cheap motel. This one, unfortunately, did not have a built in kitchenette and the room felt entirely too small. I shrugged, it was better than nothing. I set my clothes out on the bed, along with my bag and got a quick shower. When I got back out and got dressed, my bag wasn't where I had left it. I glanced over to where Dean's was and it was sitting right next to it.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to it; for some reason the guys were really anal about where I set my stuff sometimes. They'd pick it up and set it somewhere else, just for the hell of it. I looked over at Dean and he was laying out on the bed, flipping through one of his gun magazines. I'd hid his stupid skin mags somewhere in the back of his trunk and he hadn't been able to find them. I didn't care. He wasn't looking at busty blondes when I was in the same freaking room as him.

"Where's my iPod?" I asked, looking through my bag. I could have swore it was right on top.

Dean shrugged, not looking up. "Where'd you last have it?"

"It was right here…" I looked to Sam, who was smiling slightly. "I can see you smiling. What'd you do with it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said trying to be coy. He was really bad at it. Dean looked up from the magazine now, realizing this was the first prank, the hiding of my iPod.

"Very funny, ass." I commented, looking about.

"You won't find it down Andy."

Dean started laughing and I looked at the ceiling. And there it was, taped to the top of the ceiling. Of course the tallest Winchester could reach and stick it to the ceiling and the thing was, I couldn't get it down. It wasn't over a bed and there were no chairs because there was no kitchen table in this motel room. I wouldn't be able to reach it.

"I hate you." I said trying to jump for it, Sam burst out laughing at that. I punched him on the arm. "You are _so_ going to get it."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe, that's one point for me." He commented, grabbing his laptop and leaving to get in the car. Dean was getting up to follow when I grabbed his arm.

"Get it down please?" I asked. He sighed looking at the ceiling and then at me. There was nothing in the rule book that said he couldn't get it down.

"Promise to dial down the pranks on me?" Of course he'd use that advantage for himself.

I shrugged as he reached to get it. "I can make no promises."

He brought his hand back down. "Then I can't make myself reach for your iPod."

I scoffed, pulling his arm. "Come on, please. Not fair, this isn't even your prank."

Dean smiled. "True…but I may have told him where your iPod was."

My mouth was literally in an 'O' formation. "So every man for himself huh?"

He shrugged one shoulder, kissing me on the cheek. "Every man and woman."

He turned and went to head down to the car. He was so not going to be a happy with the way I'd get him back.

0o0o0o0o0

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	37. Chapter 36: Hell House Part 2

anything you recognize, i naturally do not own D: sadly. i wish i could buy Dean though...

0o0o0o0o0

Chapter 36: Hell House Part 2

The car was mostly quiet. I was pissed Dean hadn't gotten down my iPod for me. I guessed I wouldn't be able to get it down unless I found something to stand on or I'd need to keep hassling Dean.

"What's the matter Andy?"

I looked at Dean. "You know what."

He laughed. "Come on, you know how this works. If you're going to be a sourpuss about it…"

"I'm not…"

"You look like you're suckin on a lemon babe."

Sam laughed and turned around to observe my face. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. "Are we almost there?"

Dean nodded, turning into the Record Store parking lot. "Yeah, we're here. I'm guessing you didn't want to know how exactly far away in cubic feet?"

His attitude was really starting to piss me off and I got out of the car, slamming the door. I could picture their faces as I entered the Record Store. Dean was probably a bit surprised I slammed his baby and asking permission from Sam if he could get my iPod down.

"Can I help you with anything?" A guy asked as he approached. The guys walked in and surveyed the room for me.

"Are you Craig Thurston?" I asked him as they noticed me and walked over.

He shook his head, his long floppy black hair getting in his eyes. "No, he's over there."

"Come on Andy." Dean tried, I shook my head no, noticing he wasn't comfortable leaving me with this guy.

"No, I'm alright. I want to look at some records."

Dean gave me this look that said, 'come on, no you don't.' Which, okay, I didn't but seeing him squirm? Totally worth it. He nodded anyway and made a pointed look at the guy and kissed my forehead. I rolled my eyes as he pulled away; I'm glad I was territory to mark.

"That your boyfriend?"

I nodded as Dean walked away. "He can get pretty possessive."

The guy smiled, he was cute. "I can see that, guess I can't ask for you number then huh?"

I looked back at Dean who was trying to pay attention to what Sam was asking Craig. "No, sorry. Unless you wouldn't like to leave here with your arms fully attached to your body."

His mouth curved into a smile. "Impressive."

I nodded and smiled too. "Yeah, I'm sure he thinks so. Hey, you wouldn't by chance happen to know where a paint store is?"

He started putting records back on the rack. "Not for a few miles away." He looked my expression. "Why?"

"I needed some pink paint."

"For…?"

"A prank I'm doing on the boyfriend?"

"Way worth seeing?" he asked shifting on his feet.

I shrugged. "I think so."

He smiled. "Alright, we have some really ugly peach and tickle me pink in the back room, ya know for when we do those 'preservations' everyone's been throwing around."

I laughed and followed him into the back. I watched as Dean watched me head into the back with this guy, thinking the worse. But at least he wasn't thinking I was getting paint.

0o0o0o0

"Jesus, Dean. We couldn't ask him one more question?" I heard Sam ask as they came out the door. Dean was leading, looking around for me, seeming pissed to hell.

"Where the hell were you?" he barked, noticing me.

I shrugged and leaned off of the wall next to the entrance of the Record Store. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Please don't play stupid with me." He was yelling in my face and I felt bad that I could see I had really hurt him. Especially since he hadn't known what I had really done.

"Uh, Dean." Sam noticed. "She didn't do anything with that guy."

Dean whipped around to look at Sam. "Oh yeah? And how the hell would you know that?"

"Because the Impala is now covered in pink flowers and peach looking rainbows."

I could literally see Dean's jaw drop to the ground. He turned slowly and his eyes lit with anger. "You didn't."

I smiled slightly, setting off Sam's laughter. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I did."

Dean looked like he wanted to scream at me but he was holding back. Maybe because this was how the pranks always were…and how they always ended. Someone would play a prank and the other person would get rubbed the wrong way, making them furious. The pranks would die out after that. Wasn't so funny anymore when no one was laughing.

Sam stopped laughing eventually and approached me and the quietly fuming Dean. "I think you're in the lead Andy, ten points, tops."

I smiled gratefully and did something that resembled a curtsey. "Naturally."

Sam let out another laugh as he approached the car to get in.

I stuck my hands in my pockets, remembering Dean's comment earlier. "Why such the sourpuss Dean?"

Dean shook his head, letting out a sigh that sounded angrier than his voice. "Is that paint washable?"

I nodded, all hilarity gone from my voice. "Of course, I would have never put it on there otherwise."

"Good." It was all he said before turning around to head to the car. I grabbed his arm to turn him around.

"Hey, you're not…mad at me are you?"

He shrugged, moving my arm off him. "Why would I be mad?"

I felt taken aback and I wished I would have never touched his stupid car. "Are you serious? I put pink flowers on the Impala. I think I'd be worried if you weren't mad. But it was just a prank Dean."

He cleared his throat. "I'm not mad about that Andy."

I let him turn around and shuffled on my feet for a moment. If he wasn't mad about that then what? I glanced around the back of me and back inside the Record Store and literally almost smacked myself upside the head. Of course, Dean was upset. Because he thought I'd done something with that guy. Could he seriously think that little of me? I was in love with him for Christ's sake. Maybe he was just upset that he let his imagination get the better of him. Whatever, I'd have to fix it now. I felt like I had to fix a lot of things lately.

00o00o0o0o

"So what did you get from Craig?" I asked, scrubbing the paint off the Impala. We'd taken it back to the motel. Dean demanded that I wash the paint off, without scratching his car, before we left anywhere. At least it was coming off easy, like I thought it would, otherwise he would have shoved me in the trunk after I paid for the new paint job.

"That this local haunted house is haunted by this guy named Mordechai Murdoch." Sam handed me a beer and sat next to Dean on the curb, watching me scrub away the paint on the car.

"Make sure you're using the soft side of the damn sponge Andy." Damn, he was mad.

Sam cleared his throat, wiping away some of the tension. "He used to live in the house with his six daughters. It was during the Depression. His crops were failing. He didn't have enough money to even feed his own children. He figured it was best if his girls died quick rather than starve to death. So he attacked them. They screamed, begged for him to stop. But he just strung them up, one after another."

"So that's what happened to the girl?" I asked, chipping away at the peach rainbow.

Sam nodded. "Said his cousin Dana told him."

"So are we heading out there or what?"

"You done with my car?" Dean asked and I shrugged.

"Paint looks gone."

Sam sighed, leaving the two of us to get into whatever conversation started. "I'll be back, I'm gonna head to the bathroom."

I nodded after Sam and I watched as Dean observed the car. "Well?"

"Look's alright."

"I told you it was washable. I can't believe I had to undo a prank while my iPod is still taped to the ceiling."

Dean shrugged. "Tough luck Andy."

"Wait a minute, why am I getting such a bitchy attitude all of a sudden? You can't honestly believe I was doing something with that guy. If you did then I'm the one who should be pissed. After all this time you still don't trust me?"

"I think we should take a break." He said suddenly, cutting me off.

I was pretty sure my heart stopped. "What?"

He was starting to walk away and every step he took made it feel like my heart was plummeting. He stopped and turned around. "I said…I think I deserve ten points for that prank." My brain was traveling eight hundred miles per minute and I couldn't understand what he was talking about. "For that look on your face." He said slowly, his smile growing.

The break. The break comment had been a prank. A small one, one not worth really working out completely, but he got me. I figured it was a whole 'get me back for flirting with the guy to get paint' scenario he had built up in his head. Not every guy was a horn dog, and I didn't have to be a slut to ask them a favor.

"You have no idea how not funny that was."

He laughed, coming towards me to swoop me up in a hug. "Neither was touching my car, you're lucky the damn paint was washable." I sighed, leaning my head against his chest, gratefully taking in the comfort of his arms around me. I could tell he was moving his head lower to try and look at my face and he kissed my head. "Come on baby," he said reassuringly, "you know I can never stay mad at you."

Thank God for small favors. "Do you think Sam is re-gelling his hair in there?" I asked suddenly.

Dean shrugged and pulled away. "I don't know. He does that sometimes, why?"

I smiled, seeing Sam bursting out of the motel room. "_Andy_." He bellowed. He had at least three large spikes in his hair.

I giggled. "Because I put that clear Elmer's glue in it." He pounded down the stairs, trying to get the spikes to stay down on his head. "It's quick drying."

"Never knew you wanted to go for the punk rocker look Sam." Dean said trying to control his laughter.

"I believe I'm up to at least fifteen." I beamed and Sam shook his head angrily, heading back into the motel to soak his hair.

I hoped these two were prepared to lose.

0o0o0o0o

Sam soaked his hair for at least an hour before the glue finally came out. His hair was still stiff, but at least he got it to settle down on his head.

"How many points do I have?"

"Don't forget to add my parking lot theater performance." Dean added making me grimace.

"Let's see, Dean has ten, Andy you're up by at least fifteen and I have five." Sam shook his head putting the pen on top of the spiral notebook. He handed it back to me and I set it in the seat.

"Gotta step up your game pal."

Dean smiled turning onto a dirt road outside of the Hell House. "So much for curb appeal."

We got out and surveyed along the building. It was an old house that looked like it was being held up by glue and popsicle sticks. One sneeze and the entire thing seemed like it'd fall over.

"You got somethin'?" Sam asked as we approached Dean. He shook his head no, pocketing the EMF.

"Yeah. The EMF's no good."

"Why not?" I asked and Dean nodded towards a nearby telephone pole.

"I think that thing's still got a little juice in it. It's screwin' with all the readings."

Dean, Sam and I went around the front of the building and Dean for some reason couldn't break the damn door down. I mean you could probably unlatch it from the inside but that meant we had to climb through a window. Of course, he had no problem breaking the glass to do it.

Dean went in first and then Sam. I reached one leg in the window and hunched my back to avoid the glass at the top. Dean grabbed my arms, gently pulling me in.

"I got ya." He murmured, steadying me.

I smiled in thanks and held his hand as we observed the room. "Looks like Old Man Murdoch was a bit of a tagger during his time." Dean said, looking at the far wall.

"And after his time, too. The reversed cross has been used by Satanists for centuries."

Dean and I exchanged a look and I patted Sam on the back. "I know exactly why you never get laid." Dean smirked and Sam rolled his eyes, patting down his hair. It was funny. Every time we made eye contact or I touched him he'd remembered what I had done to his hair and unconsciously flattened it.

Dean let go of my hand and walked to another part of the room. Which was dark and dank by the way. It smelled like mold and rust and there were symbols all over the place. For some reason you could still smell fresh paint too, which was giving me a headache.

"Hey, what about this one? You seen this one before? Andy?" I approached him and shook my head, although I had a nagging feeling that I had.

"No." Sam said taking a picture of it, like he had done for the rest of them.

"I've seen it somewhere before, I just can't put my finger on it." I said trying to think.

Dean nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, me too. Somewhere." He turned to Sam and took a deep breath to sigh. Which I didn't see as all that healthy. This place looked like it was leaking mold. Probably wasn't the best thing to be breathing it in. "I don't know, Sam. I mean, I hate to agree with authority figures of any kind, but the cops might be right about this one."

Sam shrugged and we started to head down a hall into the other room. "Yeah, maybe."

Man, this mold and dust was not agreeing with my nose. I'd had allergies since I was a kid but it usually wasn't this bad. I guess since I was in a closed place with it was why my nose was starting to act up. I stopped suddenly making Dean turn around and Sam bump into me. I sneezed twice, bending at the waist.

"Bless you." They both said simultaneously.

"I have more coming." I said the familiar tickle in the back of my nose. "This place is driving me crazy."

Dean handed me a tissue from inside his coat pocket. "We'll try and hurry it up."

I nodded, blowing my nose. I sniffled and curled up the tissue to put in my pocket. Dean looked at me and smiled. "What?" I asked him. I'm glad that he saw my nose being tortured funny.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

There was a noise coming from the room we were about to head into and we froze. We cautiously moved towards the door and basically counted to three. Wow, what a plan we had.

We burst through the door on three running into two odd men. They both had equipment strapped to themselves, along with flashlights.

One of them sighed loudly, nudging the other. "Cut! Just a couple humans. What are you guys doing here?"

"Well aren't you two straight from the Sci-Fi Channel?" I asked, amused.

"What the hell are _you_ doin' here?" Dean asked annoyed.

The taller one, and the more attractive one if you compared them, spoke first. "Uh, we belong here. We're professionals." His voice was cocky and I felt like I needed to bully this kid for his lunch money.

"Professional what?" Dean asked. God only knows what the hell they could be professionals of. These two looked like they couldn't find their own ass let alone be specialized of something.

"Paranormal investigators." He said importantly and handed us business cards. He handed one to Dean and Sam, who were trying to contain laughter by the way, and then one to me. He then pushed up his glasses and focused his eyes on my chest.

"If I find out that your eyes are below my jaw line, I will hit you." I threatened.

He smiled entertained and Dean looked between me and Captain Dork. "Got a feisty wildcat don't you?"

Dean looked like he was ready to smack him upside the head and pulled me to lean against his side. "Enough of a point there pal?" He asked, clearly not amused. I clung onto his waist and read the card he still had up.

"Oh, you've gotta be kiddin' me. Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spangler. Hell Hound's Lair dot com, you guys run that website." Sam said suddenly and I looked between the two.

"Tell me, where do you find the time to stream live from mom's basement?" I asked and one of them, Harry I guessed, answered me.

"We got ourselves our own trailer."

I smiled as I looked to Dean, catching his amusement. "Well, look at that Dean. They got themselves a trailer."

"That they do babe. Let me tell you, we're huge fans of the website."

"And, we know who you guys are, too." Ed said and for a minute Sam, Dean and I were exchanging small nervous looks.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Amateurs." Ed replied and we all relaxed. "Lookin' for ghosts and cheap thrills."

I smirked. "Yep, that is exactly what we are doing here. Saw way too many episodes of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'."

Harry look interested. "Did you see the one where the Mayor turns into this huge snake and..." Ed nudged him, knocking the excitement right out of him. I looked at him with my eyebrows raised.

"What exactly have you chuckleheads found?"

"Uh, Harry, why don't you tell 'em about EMF?" Ed responded and Harry cleared his throat.

I looked at the guys confused and they smiled. "EMF?" I asked.

Harry looked at me matter-of-factly and got closer to show me the readings. "Electromagnetic field. Spectral entities can cause energy fluctuations that can be read with an EMF detector, like this bad boy right here." Dean cleared his throat pointedly when Harry's gaze started drifting off the EMF. He backed up and the EMF started buzzing. "Whoa, whoa. That's 2.8 MG."

"2.8." Ed repeated like we should duck for cover or something.

I shook my head, turning to let out a sneeze. "Bless you." Dean whispered and I nodded. He turned his attention back to Harry and Ed. "Huh. So, have you guys ever really seen a ghost before, or—?"

"Once. We were, uh—we were investigating this old house, and we saw a vase fall right off the table." Ed responded.

"By itself." Harry clarified.

"But let me guess, you heard it. Didn't actually see it?" I asked. These two were as easy to read as a 'How to Guide for Dummy's'.

Ed nodded and Dean scoffed, shaking his head in shame. Sam and I were pretending to riveted, after all, these two were _real_ ghost facers.

Dean nodded. "Yeah. I think I get the picture. We should go—let them get back to work."

I nodded and we headed over to a grinning Sam. "Yeah, wouldn't want to disturb the spirits and spectral readings for these two." I pointed to them with my thumb.

Sam let out a short laugh and nodded. We turned and headed out, leaving the ghosts to the real paranormal investigators.

0o0o0o0

Unfortunately, just because we were out of that stupid house my allergies didn't stop. I sneezed maybe ten times as we crossed from the house to the car. I stopped from opening my door, bending at the waist to let out another one.

"What the hell?" I asked, stuffed as hell.

"Having a little trouble Andy?" Dean asked, stopping at the trunk. He was playing with his keys, trying to find the right one and I looked at him. He didn't seem so worried about me anymore… which made me feel like something was up.

Sam handed me a tissue from inside of the car and I blew my nose. As soon as I took the tissue away the inside of my nose started burning and I let out two more sneezes. "What did you do?" I asked him.

It was then I saw Dean's grin as he opened the trunk. He reached inside and stepped aside. He was waving a bag of sneezing powder. Sam started laughing and I ran foreword, hitting the bag out of his hand. "You…" Damn. Another sneeze, making Dean's smile grow even more. "Jerk." I finished, but it hadn't been such a strong sentence anymore.

He looked at the bag on the ground for a moment but he was unfazed. He stuck his hands in his pockets, looking at Sam. "I believe I'm up by five."

I shook my head, rubbing my nose. He smiled as he looked at me and kissed the side of my nose. "It would have been worse if that paint wouldn't have come off my car."

He then circled me and got in the car. I shook my head, waiting till my nose was done flipping out to get in the car as well.

"I hope I get snot on the leather." I said as Dean pulled away.

Sam was laughing and Dean shot him a look. I sneezed again and I felt a little light headed. I leaned back and rested my head against the leather and waited until we got to the library. He pulled up and I'm guessing Sam turned to look at me while we he said it. "You coming in?" I shook my head no and I could hear Dean turn as well. "Why don't you stand outside with Dean?"

I nodded and got out with them. "So I can push him into traffic?"

Dean smiled, entertained. "Think you can stop sneezing to concentrate?"

I shoved him. "Concentrated enough?" I asked him. Sam rolled his eyes and headed into the library. Dean leaned against the side of the building while I slid down the wall to sit.

"You mad at me?" he asked, looking down.

I didn't look up at him and shook my head as I let out another sneeze. "Answer enough for you?"

I rubbed my temples and sniffled. I could feel Dean's hand circling above me, reaching in and out of his pocket, not knowing what to do with it. He finally let it rest on top of my head, stroking my hair.

"You're a jerk."

He smiled and put his hand in his pocket. "Yeah, you said that before Sneezy."

I groaned. Great, in a matter of a half an hour I had become one of the Seven Dwarfs.

Dean started laughing as Sam came back out of the Library.

"Hey." Sam said approaching us. "She alright?" I'm guessing he was looking at me.

Dean waved it off. "Yeah, she's just pouting." I hit his legs, making him stumble a little towards Sam. "And violent." He added.

Sam smiled, reaching out a hand to help me up. "Well, I couldn't find a Mordechai, but I did turn up a Martin Murdoch who lived in that house in the thirties. He did have children, but only two of 'em—both boys. And there was no record he ever killed anybody."

"Huh." Dean observed.

"We did our digging, this one's a bust, right? For all we know, those Hell Hound boys made up the whole thing." I said, rubbing my nose again. I swear to God it was going to end up red and sore. I could kill Dean.

Sam reluctantly nodded. "Yeah, all right."

Dean looked at me and smiled, even though I was slow to return it. I couldn't really be mad at him. This was all part of the pranks. "So, I say we find ourselves a bar and some beers, and leave the legend to the locals."

He got in the car and Sam hesitated. I looked at him slowly and he shook his head for me to get in the car. I nodded and fumbled with the tissue for a moment, pretending I was going to sneeze again. Sam smirked as Dean turned on the car. Suddenly loud polka music blared through the speakers and the windshield wipers started freaking out. Dean rushed to turn everything off and Sam and I laughed as we got in the car. "What the hell?" Dean asked, shutting it off.

Sam smiled and licked his finger, drawing a one in the air. "Me?" He mouthed and smiled.

Dean looked back at me and I smiled. He then turned to Sam. "That's all you got? That's weak. That is Bush-league."

Sam and I continued laughing as we pulled out of the parking lot. "Would you two stop screwing with my car?" he barked angrily.

"What's the matter Dean?" I asked. "Afraid you'll lose this one?"

Dean looked at me amused. "Come to think of it, you're the one falling behind sweetheart."

Sam shook his head. "No, that's still me. I got ten and you two are tied."

Dean smiled at me and I rolled my eyes, a little reluctant to return it. "Give me a smile baby." He said and I shook my head.

He turned on the radio and blared, 'Long time' by Boston. He started drumming along against the steering wheel and started singing.

"Well I'm taking my time, I'm just moving on  
You'll forget about me after I've been gone  
And I take what I find, I don't want no more  
Its just outside of your front door."

I shook my head as Sam turned around to smile at me. We reluctantly sang along. When Dean was in a good mood like this, it felt good to join in. I couldn't comprehend why he was in such a good mood but I figured asking questions would ruin it. Good moods hardly came around, why wreck it?

0o0o0o0o

reviews are nicely appricated. :D


	38. Chapter 37: Hell House Part 3

this was supposed to be posted last night, but fanfiction had a glitch D: .fanything you recognize, i naturally do not own. i worked hard, therefore...reviews? :D

0o0o0o0o0

Chapter 37: Hell House Part 3

I pounded on the bathroom door. "Come on Dean. It does not take that long to take a shower." I whined.

I could hear Dean laugh. "It does if the water is hot."

My eyes literally went wide and I turned to see Sam grimace. "Hope you have shower shoes." He commented.

"Okay, ew Dean!"

He laughed again and emerged from the shower ten minutes later, the steam following him like he was the one on fire.

"Did you leave me any hot water?" I asked him and he pulled me into the bathroom with him, much to my protest.

"Well if I didn't, I know how to make the water feel extremely warm." I rolled my eyes and smiled as he started nuzzling my neck.

"I bet you do…" I said pulling back ever so slightly. I was only wearing my robe and underneath I didn't exactly have pajamas on. I hoped he didn't figure that out, because if he took the robe off and his warm body collided against mine, I wouldn't be able to stop anything at all. "But there was another killing at the Hell House. It was on the news… we missed something."

Dean pulled back and looked at me confused. "What could we have missed?"

I shrugged and tried pulling my robe closer to me, he saw though and put his hands through the openings I was trying to close. "I don't know…" I said trailing off, watching him. "But a girl is dead now because of it."

"We'll have to check out the house later tonight."

"Not right now?" I asked him.

He smiled, slowly undoing my robe. "No, definitely not now."

I didn't know why I was trying to stop him. I knew Dean. He wasn't going to stop unless he was hurting or scaring me. Which he definitely wasn't, and he knew that. My heartbeat was traveling eighty miles a minute as he finally got the robe to slide down my arms and fall to the floor.

"Did I see this on last night?" he asked observing the lingerie.

I shrugged and looked down at the black laced items covering me. "I thought you did, your mouth was open like it is now."

He smirked and leaned into kiss me. He pushed me slowly against the glass door shower and the glass windows shuddered. Suddenly the door was being pounded on.

"I know neither of you are getting a shower or brushing your teeth or doing anything else that's _supposed_ to be done in a bathroom." Sam complained and I smiled against Dean's kiss.

"We really should let him in before us."

Dean shook his head, picking me up in his arms. "Fine." He opened the door and carried me past Sam, plopping me on the bed.

I giggled as Sam rolled his eyes and went into the bathroom. "I needed a shower you know."

Dean shook his head again, making small went droplets fall from his hair and fall onto my stomach. He ran his warm nose over my skin. "No, you don't. You smell fine."

I smiled, making Dean look up at me. "I need to wash my hair."

He then moved towards my head, laying his body over mine. His face rubbed against my hair, taking in it's scent. It probably smelled of light lavender and him, seeing as how I fell asleep on his pillow last night.

He sat up and shook his head. "Yeah, you're right. You totally need a shower."

I scoffed, smacking him on the chest. He winced, pulling back and getting up. He held his towel up as he looked through his bag for his clothes. He paused for a minute and I smiled, trying to turn over on the bed before he saw me.

I felt his eyes on me and he scoffed. "What did you do to my clothes?"

"I have no idea what you're…" I turned, seeing him hold up his pants. Which looked two sizes too small. I let out a short laugh. "talking about…"

"Ha-ha." He commented, not amused. "You shrunk all my clothes."

I sat up smiling. "Most of them, hid some others."

He held the pants up with both hands. "This looks like it'll barely fit you."

I laughed. "Well unless you want to hunt at the Hell House naked, which doesn't bother me by the way." He was smiling, but it wasn't happy. It was a tight, 'you're going to get it' smile. "I'd put those clothes on if I were you."

He really had no choice and I smiled watching him fight his way into the jeans that were way too small for him. He was in pain as he closed the jeans, seeing as how every part of him wasn't that tiny.

I smiled and he groaned. "I'm glad you're having fun with this."

"I'll give you back the jeans that fit you if I get ten points."

He shook his head, stubborn as a mule. "Not over my dead body."

I shrugged. "Technically if your body stops blood circulation on your lower half there…"

"Shut it, Andy." He grit out, reaching his arms up to pull on the tight polo.

I sat up and pushed myself off the bed, running my arms over his tight chest. "Come on, a measly ten points and I'll give you clothes you can breath in."

"How bout give me my clothes or I won't kiss you for a week."

I scoffed. "You'd never be able to do that." I wasn't the weak link here, Dean was the definition of lust and horniness.

"I'd hold out better than you." Hoped he was able to put those words to good use.

I smiled slowly. "How bout, we make it two days and the pranks stop between us. Two days, whoever wins gets twenty points."

Dean nodded and slowly brought his lips towards mine, brushing them ever so slightly. "You're on sweetheart."

He pulled away and I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath. Maybe this wouldn't be as easy as I thought.

0o0o0o0

"You two ready?"

"Jesus, Sam. Could you have taken a longer shower?" Dean asked agitated. I'm guessing it was a big cross between his pants beings too tight and that the bet had begun ten minutes ago and both of us were squirming in our seats. We tried laying side by side and sitting close to each other but eventually it would get hard not to touch and not kiss. So we kept our distance, glancing to see what one another was doing every so often.

"And your problem is?" Sam asked as we followed him out the door.

"His pants are a little too tight today." I said smiling.

"You shrunk his clothes?!" Sam asked, glancing at Dean. Dean frowned, trying to adjust his pants comfortably enough to walk in them.

I giggled, getting in to drive the car over to the Hell House since Dean was having issues at the moment. These boys just never got it, no matter how many times these pranks happened. I was the girl on this team, meaning I had to prove myself some how. I won every time and there was no stopping me from doing the same thing.

0o0o0o0o

We got stuck in traffic on the way to the Hell House. If that wasn't bad enough, Dean had a problem with everything I did. I popped in one of my mix tapes, which was his first complaint, then a song would come on and he'd have a fit that the person singing, which was Matt White at the moment, couldn't hold one single tune. So I shut it off, sitting back in my seat. When I started to drum the wheel every so often he'd flip about that. I rolled my eyes, praying for traffic to disperse. I knew his pants were tight but Jesus Christ, could he have been more of a grumpy jackass? I didn't actually want to know the answer to that. Okay, so two hours and Dean and I hadn't kissed. Big deal right? We'd been alone ever since we had met. This whole relationship thing was new. But if you've ever been in a relationship, that wasn't necessarily long, but it meant everything more, you'd know how hard it is to suddenly stop. It's just reverting back to form but it sucks and its kind of heart tugging. Its noticing what you had when its gone. We were both irritated and agitated and I could tell Sam was voicing the same emotions, seeing as how we were arguing about every single thing.

"For the last time Dean, Onion Blossoms are soaked in ice water for an hour to hold it's shape."

Sam groaned a 'thank God' as the traffic started moving. Dean leaned foreword and I could feel his breath tickle the back of my neck, sending shivers all over my body.

"They don't need to do that. It's frozen therefore no need to soak it. You just need to deep-fry it root-side up for five minutes."

Sam turned in his seat to face us as I drove about a half a mile away from the Hell House and parked the car. "Okay, what's wrong with you two? Seriously? I mean I'm not one for the spilt personalities you two seem to have but I'd rather have the kissing, cuddling more revolting Dean and Andy than this."

I exchanged a glance with Dean and he sat back in his seat. "We made a bet for twenty points."

"Which would be?"

"No kissing or touching for two days."

Sam rolled his eyes and got out of the car. "You two are ridiculous." I heard him mutter and I smiled. He was right, we were, but it kept things interesting.

We snuck up the back of the Hell House and saw Sheriffs were guarding the house.

"I guess the cops don't want anymore kids screwin' around in there." Sam observed and I nodded.

"Yeah, but we still gotta get in there." Dean said looking around. He seemed to hear something behind him an he turned. He scoffed. "I don't believe it." Sam and I turned our heads in that general direction and saw Ed and Harry make their way towards the house with their equipment on. "I got an idea." He said smiling. He stood up and screamed in their direction. "Who ya gonna call?!" Dean ducked back down and the Sheriffs saw Ed and Harry and ran after them.

All of us bolted towards the house as they ran after the two morons who saw 'Ghost Busters' way too any times. The door was open, thanks to the police, and we slipped inside.

Sam handed out the weapons out of the duffel as we closed the door. He handed Dean and I shotguns full of rock salt and Dean hesitated at the same symbol again. "Man, where have I seen that symbol before?"

"Come on." I said motioning him.

"It's killin' me!" he complained.

Sam rolled his eyes, pulling on his arm. "Come on, we don't have much time."

We headed down to the cellar where the girl had been stringed up and looked around. Dean smirked, picking up a jar on the shelf.

"Hey, Andy, I dare you to take a swig of this."

I looked at Dean for a moment as he sloshed around the peach looking liquid and I grimaced. "What the hell would I do that for?"

He was silent for a moment and I thought he was done. "I double-dare you." I shook my head, wanting to smack him. There was a noise from the other side of the room and Dean put the jar down and we all readied our weapons.

We silently walked over to a cabinet and Dean motioned for Sam to open the door. He did so and Dean nearly jumped back one hundred feet as rats scurried on the floor. He did manage to knock right into me and I fell back onto the floor.

"Ow." I commented as Sam helped me up. Dean could have, most likely, if he hadn't been acting like a girl at the moment.

"Ugh, I hate rats." He looked around his feet like one of the was going to start eating through his shoes.

"You'd rather it was a ghost?" Sam asked.

Dean grunted. "Yes."

"Dean!" I screamed and he turned seeing Mordechai standing right behind him with an ax. Sam shot him a few times and he dissolved in a cloud of smoke.

"What the hell kind of spirit is immune to rock salt?" I asked running towards the basement stairs.

"I don't know." Dean yelled motioning for me to move faster. "Come on, come on, come on!"

I could hear Mordechai smashing into the shelves downstairs and Sam slammed the door shut as the ax collided with that as well.

"Go!" Sam yelled at us.

We ran outside to see Ed and Harry focusing their cameras on us. Dean nearly collided with them and pushed the camera to the ground. "Get that damn thing outta my face!" He yelled, irritated.

We bolted all the way back to the car but I couldn't decipher whether it was because the cops were showing up to arrest Ed and Harry or because that was the first ghost that hadn't been repelled by rock salt.

0o0o0o0o

"Okay, so are we thinking that Craig has something to do with this?" I asked, turning the car towards the Record Store.

Sam nodded. "It has to be. The legends changed. I mean ghosts have pretty strict patterns but not this one. Something has to be changing it." He pulled out his laptop, fuddling around on the keyboard.

Dean hit the back of the seat suddenly, making me turn the car left and right.

"Jesus, Dean. Why don't you just yell car crash or something." I said, getting the car under control.

Dean winced. But I wasn't sure whether that was because he scared me or because I almost wrecked the car. "Sorry, I just remembered where I had just seen that sign, we need to head to the Record Store."

"Good thing that's where I'm heading."

Dean rolled his eyes and sat back at my tone. He was mumbling something about how I shouldn't be heading us anywhere because _he_ should have been driving and I smiled.

"Huh, someone added a new post into the Hell Hounds' site. Listen to this, they say Mordechai Murdoch was really a Satanist who chopped up his victims with an axe before slitting his own wrists. Now he's imprisoned in the house for eternity."

"So something to do with this site and those two moronic Buffy Fan girls?"

Sam chuckled. "Look's like."

I turned into the Record Store parking lot and headed out of the car. Dean motioned for me to stay by his side and I looked at him for a moment.

"What?"

"Don't what me. Last time we were here my car ended up with a makeover."

I smiled. "That was scrubbed off ten minutes later."

Dean shrugged. "I don't care, you're standing right next to me. Where I can keep an eye on you."

Now, an eye on me meaning that he didn't want his car screwed with or he didn't want me off talking to that guy I got the paint from?

"You want me to stay with you?" I asked him and he looked at me like he unhappily knew where this was going. "Well then, looks like you'll have to put your hands on my body and make me." Dean looked like he was processing that. Most likely because he really wanted to. "But that means you'll loose the bet then Buster."

Dean shook his head and waved me off like he didn't care what I did. But I knew he watched me walk all the way over to say hi to the guy who gave me the paint.

"Hey, paint girl." He said recognizing me.

I nodded and smiled. "Yep, that's me. Did you see the prank?"

He nodded and let out a short laugh. "Yeah, nice one. I'm guessing the car means a lot to him."

"More than an inanimate object should mean to a person."

He chuckled, moving hair out of his eyes. "I'm Alex by the way."

He stretched out his hand for me to shake, which I did. Being polite was not flirting. "I'm Andy."

I looked at the records he was putting away and saw one for Blue Oyster Cult. I scoffed and picked it up. I wondered if Dean knew that that's where the annoying sign had come from, the one he hadn't been able to place. He probably had, my baby was smart like that. I glanced over to see Dean and Sam talking to Craig and decided I better act like a hunter and join them.

"It was nice meeting you Alex." I said smiling and he nodded, shaking my hand again.

"You too."

He seemed like a nice guy, a good friend to have. But I wasn't thinking practically, like I seemed to do these days. We were in Texas this once, we hardly were anywhere twice. I'd never see this guy again. But I still hoped the best for him. As I said, he seemed nice and sometimes I missed having friends other than my guys. It'd be nice to tell people what you did for a life and they'd understand. Not that Dean and Sam weren't nice to come home to, they were the only people I called home. But I wished I had friends to relate to, to tell all my hunts and about my relationship with Dean to. It got incredibly lonely sometimes.

"And then we found out this guy Murdoch used to live there, so we made up some story to go along with that. So, they told people, who told other people, and then these two guys put it on their stupid website. Everything just took on a life of its own. I mean, I thought it was funny at first, but….now that girl's dead." Craig started to tear up but tried sucking it up as I approached. "It was just a joke, you know, I mean—none of it was real, we made the whole thing up, I swear."

Dean nodded, noticing I was behind him and Sam. "All right."

We left after that and I got the lowdown on what actually happened with the Hell House. I waved at Alex on the way out, making Dean simmer. As I said, it get's incredibly lonely sometimes and I missed Dean. Even though I was right next to him.

0o0o0o0

Dean left right after we got back to the motel. I gave him the clothes that actually fit because he complained that if I got captured my Murdoch that he wouldn't be able to run fast enough to save me in tight jeans. I rolled my eyes and told them they were under the sink. He smiled in thanks and I watched him undress. Damn. I repeat, damn. I missed touching his skin and I could tell he knew that, which is why I was basically telling him to leave as soon as he got dressed. I needed to cool down somehow.

He said he needed to go run an errand and Sam got in the shower. I looked around the room trying to find something to keep myself occupied and not think about Dean. I saw my iPod still taped to the ceiling and once again I was reminded with the fact that there was no chairs in the freakin motel room. I had an idea to go steal one of the lawn chairs outside, but no surprise: they were bolted to the porch. I'm guessing it was to keep nut bags like me from pulling them into the room to try and reach iPods. I let out a frustrated sigh and looked around the room again. Neither of the boys were accessible, not that I could get either of them to help me these days. I saw a stack of books from the trunk near Sam's bed and I had the idea to stand on them to reach it. And I'd have to get it done before Sam got out of the shower. Because if he came out and saw me standing on _his_ books to get an iPod, that eventually someone would have gotten, he'd kill me.

I hurriedly restacked the books under my iPod and prayed to God I had some sort of balance. It was only five medium sized books and I hoped, added to my height, I could reach it. I put one foot on the books and hoisted myself up. My ankle twisted and I froze, trying to steady myself. I looked at the ceiling and reached one arm up to grab it. My fingers brushed against it and I swore the ceiling was raising itself higher as I reached for the iPod. Unfortunately, the one moment of balance that I had, Dean ruined. He came through the door, letting it bang ever so slightly against the wall, startling the hell out of me. I squealed as I began to fall backwards, my hands trying to grab air. I saw Dean rush towards me out of the corner of my eye and I landed in his arms with a small thudding noise.

He let out a sigh. I wasn't sure if it was from relief or adrenaline. "Geez Andy, what the hell were you doing?"

I tried to stop the hammering in my chest. "I was trying to prove I could never do a balancing act in a circus." I said sarcastically.

"Don't do that again." Right, like I couldn't wait to have a repeated performance. "You gave me heart attack, what would have happened if I hadn't been here to catch you?"

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have fallen if he hadn't banged the door open. "I would have turned in the air like a cat and landed on all fours…obviously." I just realized he hadn't put me down yet.

"I'll get your damn iPod down." He sounded upset and I could feel his heart thundering in his chest. It was nice to feel that again. "You don't need to stand on top of Sam's books to get it. If the fall doesn't kill you, Sam will."

"Sorry." I said quietly and he sighed and nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "But you're going to have to put me down to do that."

He looked like he didn't know which thing I was apologizing for. He didn't seem to realize he'd been holding me all that time either. "Oh, sorry." His one arm buckled, releasing my feet to the floor but his arm was still around my waist. He was breaking the bet but both of us pretended not to notice. His face was suddenly coming close to mine and I felt like suffocating. We got as close as we could possibly get without touching and he shook his head, pulling back. I sighed heavily, trying to get myself back under control. I could tell he hadn't done it on purpose, because the action looked like it was straining him.

He smiled slightly, un-looping my waist, and ran a hand through his hair. "Does that count?"

"Didn't I say that saving me from smacking my head off the floor was not a deal breaker?" I smiled and shrugged. "Thought it was implied."

He smirked and reached passed me to get the iPod. "You know…I miss you."

That was a taunt. Sure it might have been true, but the root of it was a full tease and it was pulling at me ever so slightly. "I miss you too." I said watching him get the iPod down. His hand brushed against mine as he handed it to me. "But I want that twenty points."

He shrugged, like it wasn't supposed to mean anything. "Be that way Core. Sooner or later you'll be begging for me."

"The only bad thing about you Dean Winchester, is that your ego is built up so high that it's really going to hurt when it's knocked down a few pegs."

Dean looked at the bathroom suddenly and remembered something. He moved towards Sam's clothes and sprinkled powder on it.

"That's not sneezing powder? Because you're not allowed to use a prank twice."

He shook his head. "It's not."

"You want the points?"

Again, the head rattle. "No. I want the major points when we finish this bet."

"You'll be highly disappointed then." I muttered as Sam emerged from the shower making Dean jerk away from the scene of the crime.

"Hey." Sam said, grabbing his clothes. "So, I think I might have a theory about what's goin' on."

"One that includes clothes?" I asked Sam and observed his towel.

He rolled his eyes and Dean raised his eyebrows at me. "You better be looking at his face."

"Driving you crazy?" I asked him.

"Driving me to nausea." Sam commented, going back into the bathroom. "What if Mordechai is a tulpa?"

"A tulpa?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, a Tibetan thought form." I added, grabbing a book from the pile and sitting down to flip through it.

"Yeah," Dean said, throwing a shirt at me. "I know what a tulpa is." He redirected his voice towards Sam. "Hey, why don't you hurry and get dressed? We'll go grab somethin' to eat."

He smiled at me and I rolled my eyes. Moron.

0o0o0o0

We headed to a restaurant and we ordered fries and a couple cokes. Sam was shifting uncomfortably in his seat every ten minutes, trying to scratch himself. It dawned on me that Dean had used itching powder. Where the hell did he get these damn things?

"Hey, what's your problem?" Dean asked, smirking.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Sam avoided and I wanted to smack Dean to tell him to cut him a break.

"All right, so, keep goin', what about these tulpas?" Dean asked and took a sip of his coke. He wasn't interested in the damn tulpas, he was interested in watching Sam squirm. Which he did, every five or ten minutes. Poor thing.

"Okay, uh, so there was this incident in Tibet in 1915. A group of monks visualized a golem in their heads. They meditate on it so hard, they bring the thing to life—out of thin air."

"So?" Dean asked, apparently not impressed.

Sam just looked at him and then looked at me like I could help. I shrugged. "So…that was twenty monks. Imagine what ten thousand web surfers could do."

Dean put down his coke and picked mine up, taking a sip. He looked at me. "Holding out on me, cherry coke?" I smiled slightly and shrugged, taking his coke to sip from. "Okay, wait a second. You're trying to tell me that just because people believe in Mordechai, he's real?"

Sam shifted uncomfortably again. "I don't know, maybe."

Dean scoffed. "People believe in Santa Claus. How come I'm not gettin' hooked up every Christmas?"

"Cause you're a bad person." I said obviously making Sam smile.

"And because of this." Sam said typing something into the computer, he pulled up a picture of some of the walls of the Hell House, practically one symbol. "That's a Tibetan spirit sigil on the wall of the house." Tibetan reminded me of my coin and I saw Dean smile slightly as I ran my fingers over it. "Craig said they were painting symbols from a theology textbook. I bet you they painted this not even knowing what it was."

"So, people are on the Hell Hounds' website, starin' at the symbol, thinkin' about Mordechai?"

Sam nodded. "I mean, I don't know. But it might be enough to bring a tulpa to life."

Dean and I exchanged drinks again. It was like kissing really. I could feel his lips on my straw and he could taste my watermelon lip balm on his. "It would explain why he keeps changin'."

"All right, so, if he really is a thought form, how the hell are we supposed to kill an idea?" I asked as Sam scratched himself. Dean smirked and I kicked him under the table.

"Well, it's not gonna be easy with these guys helping us. Check out their homepage. Since they posted the video, the number of hits have quadrupled in the last day alone."

"I got an idea. Come on." Dean said, grabbing the fries and his drink. Sam shut the laptop and I helped him gather his things.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked.

"I gotta find a copy store." Great, Dean. More vague please.

Sam groaned. "Man, I think I'm allergic to our soap or somethin'." Dean started laughing and walked away. Sam looked at me and I shrugged, making him look back at Dean. "You did this?" Dean laughed again. "You're a friggin' jerk!"

I giggled as Sam almost kicked over the table as we left. It was off to the copy store and then to Geek's trailer park.

0o0o0o0

"Okay so everyone got it?"

I nodded at Dean's plan as we approached the door. "There's always plan B too. All I got to do is flash them my boobs."

Dean turned, not amused and knocked on the door. I shrugged and chuckled, I thought it was funny. "Oh, look at that. Action figures in their original packaging. What a shocker." Dean said as the door opened.

Harry and Ed tumbled out and I had the sneaking suspicion that I heard Buffy playing in the trailer.

"Guys, we need to talk." Sam said, acting serious.

"We'll make it quick. We need you to shut down your website." I said and Ed laughed at me.

Ed looked at Harry. "Man, you know, these guys get us busted last night, we spend the night in a holding cell."

Harry nodded and looked at me embarrassed. "I had to pee in that cell urinal in front of people. And I get stage fright."

"Thank you for that small image." I muttered and Sam nudged me because Dean wasn't allowed to.

"Why should we trust you guys?" Ed asked looking at all three of us.

"People are gonna keep showin' up at the Hell House, runnin' into him into Mordechai —somebody could get hurt." Dean said, like these guys cared about anybody but themselves.

"Ed, maybe he's got a point." I liked Harry. He was easy to pull in every direction.

"Okay no, we have an obligation to our fans, to the truth." Ed said trying to sway Harry back, which as I said, was easy.

Dean shrugged. "Well, I have an obligation to kick both your little asses right now—"

I smirked and Sam put a hand on Dean's shoulder, as if to hold him back. "Dean, Dean, hey, hey. Forget it, all right? These guys—I could probably bitch-slap them both." I loved these two, with ever fiber of my being.

I nodded. "We could even tell 'em that thing about Mordechai…" Ed and Harry looked suddenly very interested. "but they're still not gonna help us. So, let's just go."

Dean looked at me and nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

We started to walk away but the two little geeks followed us like bees to honey.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What did you say about—? Hold on a second here." Ed reached forward and grabbed my shoulder to stop me and I had to stop my defense mechanism to turn around and hit his nose.

"Don't tell 'em, guys."

"But if they agree to shut their website down, Andy—"

"They're not gonna do it. You said so yourself." Dean interrupted. I loved how we had come up with all this in the car not a half an hour ago.

"No, wait, wait. Don't listen to him, okay? We'll do it."

"Look, it is a pretty big deal, all right? And it wasn't easy to dig up. So, only if we have your word that you'll shut everything down." Sam said turning to them.

Ed nodded. "Totally."

"All right." Dean took out a sheet of paper and explained that it was a death certificate. The fatal wound: Self-inflicted gunshot. Damn were we good.

Harry and Ed were looking at each other like they'd seen Santa for the first time. Dean nodded. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, they say if you shoot him with a .45, loaded with these special wrought-iron rounds, you could kill the son of a bitch."

I felt like telling those two that Santa wasn't real. But they were so excited, and you couldn't ruin four year olds like that. They ran all the way back to their trailer.

0o0o0o0o0

What is it with boys and pulling things to make annoying noises? I was sitting next to Dean at this bar and there was a painted sailor holding this fish on a piece of wood. And when you pulled its string it made an irritating laughing noise.

Of course Dean kept pulling the string and Sam looked like he was ready to pull the string out and wrap it around Dean's neck. "If you pull that string one more time, I'm gonna kill you."

Dean pulled the string again, trying Sam's patience and he stopped the laughing before it started.

Dean laughed. "Come on, man. You need more laughter in your life, you know, you're way too tense."

Sam typed something on his laptop. "They posted it, 'We have learned from reputable sources that Mordechai Murdoch has a fatal fear of firearms.'"

"All right. How long do we wait?" I asked.

Sam shrugged. "Long enough for the new story to spread and the legend to change. I figure by nightfall, iron rounds will work on the sucker."

Sam held up his bottle of beer and waited for us to lift ours. We did so, clanking it with his. But when Dean tried to put his beer down, he couldn't. I laughed out loud, looking to check his reaction.

Angry and surprised were the first. " You didn't." Sam held up a bottle of superglue and started laughing.

"Oh, I did."

Dean was shocked and Sam and I burst into laughter. Sam pulled down the string, letting loose the annoying laughter. Dean wasn't happy to hear it this time.

0o0o0o0

Dean spent maybe, ten minutes in the bathroom trying to get that bottle off his hand.

"I barely have any skin left on my palm." He complained as we headed into the Hell House.

Sam smirked. "I'm not touchin' that line with a ten-foot pole."

Dean shined his flashlight in Sam's face and he grimaced. "So, you think old Mordechai's home?" I asked.

"I don't know." Dean answered and then another voice did the same.

"Me neither." We all turned and aimed our guns at the voice. Ed and Harry jumped and screamed.

"What are you tryin' to do, get yourself killed?" Dean asked.

Ed shrugged. "We're just tryin' to get a book and movie deal, okay?"

I shook my head, agitated. "Should have just shot em." I commented and heard a sound of sharpening knifes coming from the basement.

Mordechai burst through the door and all of us reacted at once, sending the rounds in his chest. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke and we hesitated. Suddenly, Mordechai appeared again and destroyed the camera Harry had in his hands.

"Hey. Didn't you guys post that BS story we gave you?" Dean yelled, shooting off more rounds.

"Of course we did." Ed said. "Yeah, but then our server crashed."

I laughed, but it was anything but funny and looked at Dean. "So, these guns don't work."

"Great. Sam, any ideas?" Dean asked and Sam just looked annoyed.

The two morons took off in the direction of the door and of course the ghost wasn't stupid. It appeared right in front them, swinging it's ax. I took off in the direction and shot at it, distracting it. "Come get me, you ugly son of a bitch!" I yelled and it ran towards me, knocking the gun from my hands.

Harry and Ed ran past me and Mordechai grabbed my neck, lifting me from the floor. He was squeezing tight and I managed to get out a loud scream for Dean before my air was cut off.

"Hey!" Dean yelled and Mordechai looked at him. Dean held an aerosol can over a lighter and it burst into flame. Mordechai let me go and I fell to the floor, coughing and gasping. Dean ran to help me up and pushed me towards the door. "Come on, go, go, go!"

Sam, Dean and I made it out of the house and stood there for a moment. "Look, if Mordechai can't leave the house, and we can't kill him, we improvise." He lit a lighter and threw it to the ground, engulfing the room that I'm guessing he blanketed with lighter fluid.

We ran behind some nearby trees and watched as Mordechai tried to follow us, but he couldn't go past the threshold.

"That's the solution? Burn the whole damn place to the ground?" Sam asked as I sat on the ground, feeling the bruises forming around my neck.

"Well, no one will go in anymore." Dean said and it sounded like the last resort. "I mean, look, Mordechai can't haunt a house if there's no house to haunt. It's fast and dirty, but it works."

We were silent for a moment and a sudden thought occurred to me. "Kind of makes you wonder—of all the things we've hunted, how many existed just 'cause people believed in 'em?" Dean looked at me thoughtfully and I coughed roughly.

He kneeled down next to me. "You alright?"

I shook my head and felt my throat again. "Ow." I commented, rough and scratchy.

He helped me off the ground and we headed back to the car. "I think we have water bottles in the trunk."

He went to open the trunk and I suddenly remembered something. "Wait, don't go in there…"

But it was too late, Dean opened the trunk and silly string exploded from the back, covering him. I winced and smiled guiltily as Dean closed the trunk. His face was covered with green strings and he looked at me. "Sorry…can I still have that water?"

0o0o0o0

"So, this morning, we got a phone call from a very important Hollywood producer." Harry said importantly as we approached them loading their car.

"Oh, yeah? Wrong number?" Dean asked and I smirked.

"No, smartass. He read all about the Hell House on our website and wants to option the motion picture rights—maybe even have us write it." Ed replied.

"Well, congratulations, guys, that sounds really great."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, that's awesome. Best of luck to ya."

"Oh, yeah, luck—it's got nothin' to do with it. It's about talent, you know? Sheer, unabashed, talent." Ed said obviously and gave us the peace sign. They got into their car and drove away.

"God I hope that's the last time we ever see them." I said shaking my head.

"I have a confession to make." Sam said walking back to the car. "I was the one who called them and told 'em I was a producer."

We laughed and I shrugged. "I called them last night saying I was Buffy and kinkily asked if I could slay anything for them."

Dean raised his eyebrows and laughed. "Well, I'm the one who put the dead fish in their backseat."

Sam looked between the both of us. "Truce?"

I was looking at Sam but suddenly Dean came up in front of me and pulled me against him, kissing me hungrily. We pulled back after a few minutes and I sighed, surprised. He nodded. "Yeah, truce." I smiled, knowing that look on his face.

Sam sighed. "I guess I'm driving."

Dean nodded, opening the door and pushing me in the back. "Oh, definitely."

I pulled him on top of me in the back and wrapped my hands around his neck, trying to keep his lips on mine. I stopped for a moment as Sam started the car. "Oh and by the way, I totally win guys. By a long shot."

Dean and Sam exchanged glances in the rearview mirror and sighed defeated. "Yeah, I guess you do."

"Which means I get to pick the next diner, motel, bar, drinks for rounds and someone has to sleep in the tub."

"Why do I have a horrible feeling its me?" Sam asked.

I shrugged, smiling as Dean nuzzled my neck and face. "I don't know Sam. You may find that the bathroom will be a little crowded tonight."

Dean grinned and I even found Sam smirking as well. I wouldn't trade these two for all the friends in the world.

0o0o0o0o

:D


	39. Chapter 38: Something Wicked Part 1

i'm sorry this took long, i've been having a really bad few days D: reviews make me smile :D enjoy!

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 38: Something Wicked Part 1

Dean was in and out of bed all night. I think he was catching the flu. He'd be hot next to me one minute and try to struggle out of the sheets and the next he'd be freezing and try to cuddle up next to me. I could hear him cough and sneeze a few times and finally he gave up on sleeping all together. I waited a few moments to see what he was doing because I wasn't going to get up if he was going out. I heard the TV click on and the volume lower. I opened my eyes to see him huddled up on the couch, sniffling. Poor thing. Dean hardly got sick and I knew this was going to be like taking care of a child. But he'd do it for me so, why not?

I got up from the bed and pulled a sheet with me. I walked over and spread the sheet over his shoulders. "Hey, you alright?"

He sniffled, rubbing his nose. "I can't sleep." I felt his forehead and he groaned pushing me off. "I'm not sick." He said stubbornly.

"Uh-huh." I said half heartedly putting a hand in his hair. I gently massaged his scalp and he closed his eyes for moment. He suddenly let out a roaring cough against his fist. I rubbed his back as he coughed and he shook his head as he sat back.

"Damn it." He muttered angrily and I shook my head, standing up.

"I'll get you something."

Dean shook his head, looking nauseated. "Not food."

"Tea then."

He nodded and turned his attention back to the television. I think there was a basketball game on. It had to be an old one. It was two AM and we hardly got the station it was on, no way it was a live game.

"Who's playing?" I asked, squeezing the tea bag. Maybe I shouldn't have been making him talk.

His voice was scratchy and he fought back coughing as he talked. "I don't know, just turned it on."

"Here, take this with it." I handed him the mug and some Advil. "Your sinuses have to be killing you and this'll bring down your fever…since I _know_ you have one." He glared at me and I rolled my eyes. "Come on, be a grown up."

He sighed and sniffled and took the pills with the tea. "Thanks." He muttered even though I knew he didn't want to say anything.

After ten minutes of watching TV, I could see him trying to drift off back to sleep. He'd jerk awake though and redirect his eyes back to the screen. I didn't know whether he was fighting it or just too stubborn. "You're tired." I said, finally reaching some sort of nerve to tell him.

It sounded like he scoffed but then I just realized it was a pre-sneeze noise. He let out a loud sneeze after trying to fight it off and I handed him a tissue.

"Yeah, I'm tired." He said it like I should have known. "And my head hurts." He sounded so miserable when he said it and I felt this over whelming need to take care of him, like he'd do for me.

Even though he wouldn't like it I motioned him to lay down. "Come on."

He just looked at me and narrowed his eyes. He was just trying to resist the babying I knew he wanted. Which was odd to me. How come Dean could take care of everybody but the minute someone else tried to take care of him he got angry? "Come on, Andy."

"Don't Andy me." I said, gently pulling on his shoulder. "Lay down."

"I feel like a freakin' dog." I heard him mutter but he did it nonetheless. He laid down on the couch and rested his head on my lap, pulling up the sheet to his chin as he did so. I started to run my fingers through his hair again, gently massaging his temples every so often.

"You can change the channel." He said, shifting.

I shrugged, leaving it on. Even if he was closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep, I knew he'd still want to hear the game. "I'll change it when you fall asleep."

"You get some sleep too. You better not stay up all night waiting to see what happens to Enrico on those Spanish soaps."

"But Enrico is _so_ hot." I whined and I could feel his smile against my thigh.

He reached on the floor for his tea and took a small sip. "Maybe if I take a hot shower it'll clear my sinuses." The heat from the mug irritated his nose and he scrunched it up before letting out a sneeze into the crook of his arm.

"Bless you." He groaned a response and I sat up too, taking his mug. "You know what else clears sinuses? Getting better. You should just get some rest and stuff. You'll feel better in no time." Dean just shook his head and I sighed, switching gears. "The longer you stay up, the longer I'm going to be up."

"I'm not four." Dean argued.

"You're sick, Dean."

He stood, making his way to the bathroom. "Look, I don't need you to baby me, Andy. I don't need you at all right now." His words were harsh. I mean I knew he was sick but geez, where the hell was his anger coming from? I had been just trying to help.

I looked at the floor and shut off the TV. "Sorry." I muttered.

He sighed and shifted on his feet. I could feel his eyes on me as I got up to go put his mug in the sink.

"Andy, wait, that's…that's not what I meant to say. I didn't mean I didn't need you…I'm sorry." He was trying too hard to take everything back.

I shrugged like it hadn't felt like a small cinder block hitting me in the chest when he'd said it. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. That was a complete asshole remark." He said, running a hand through his hair. "All you were doing is trying to make me feel better. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really. Another sorry won't fix anything. You'll just sound like a really scratchy broken record."

He laughed slightly at that. "Yeah, thanks."

"Seriously, if you don't want to sleep, let's go down to that mini mart and get you some cold medicine."

Dean nodded slightly, like he wasn't sure if I was still mad at him or not. I rolled my eyes and pulled at him to get dressed. Even if I still mad at him I wasn't going to push him down the stairs or anything.

"What's your secret mission Core?" He asked slyly. "Can't be all about me." He said slipping a long sleeved tee over his head.

I adjusted my black sweatpants. "Well we're going to a mini mart, with aisles full of food….and pop tarts."

I had that stupid grin on my face and Dean shook his head, smiling. "You're an addict, someone should cut you off."

I left a note for Sam about where we were going and took the keys to the car to drive. The night air was still chilly and I could see the half moon in the distance. I loved mornings like this. When it was still late enough that you could see the moon but if you turned in the other direction the sun was starting to peek above the houses.

The mini mart wasn't that full, obviously. It'd be incredibly weird if the place was packed around five AM. I looked around and looked for the aisle marked 'cereal' because that's usually where the pop tarts were.

"I'm gonna grab the medicine." Dean said and looked up at the name of the aisles like I was. I pointed to one about three down from where we were.

"Medicine." He nodded and kissed my cheek. "And get the right meds Dean. I don't want to see any form of Oxy-cotton in the bathroom." Dean turned and raised his eyebrows at me and smiled. "Make sure you also get something chewable, you four year old."

He blew me a kiss and disappeared down the aisle. Now that he was under the brightness of artificial lights I felt kind of bad I had taken him out of the motel, he really didn't look well. He was a bit pale and his face looked worn and tired even though he had a smile on it.

I worked my way down the cereal aisle and looked through the many assortments. Frosted Flakes, Corn Flakes, Honey Bunches of Oats, Fruit Loops…Pop Tarts. I smiled reaching the boxes. Now to the hard part, the actual choosing. I was a fan of the cinnamon ones myself but I tried to think of what Dean and Sam liked too. Unfortunately, I was still eight years old and hated to share, so I grabbed one for me and a S'mores one for the guys.

"It's mine!" I turned to hear a little voice say. Down the aisle a little girl, maybe not older than six was fighting with a little boy, I'm guessing her brother.

"You're a jerk, give it back to me!" The boy squealed pulling at the cereal box.

"I had it first!" The girl yelled. "Mom!"

It reminded me of fifteen years ago, all the way up to the mom part…

_0o0o0o0o0oFifteen Years Ago0o0o0o0o0_

"Sam, give it!"

"I picked the cereal Andy, you can't switch now."

We were fighting over a box of Fruit Loops and I was loosing. Sam was only seven but he had strength on me. Must have been all that boxing my dad and John were making him do.

"I'll call for Dean!" I complained, starting to cry.

Sam let go of the box, making me fall of balance. I fell backwards and hit my back off the table. I started crying then, big fat tears falling down my face. I remembered Sam didn't look sympathetic at all and that the big puppy dog face must have grown with age.

For being eight I was embarrassed and pink was blotting my cheeks as eleven year old Dean came into the kitchen, wondering what the hell was going on.

"What the hell?" he asked observing me crying and the cereal on the floor.

"She started it!" Sam pointed. "She took my cereal!"

"Did not!" I said sniffling, wiping an arm across my face.

Dean rolled his eyes and handed me a tissue and then pulled me up off the floor. "Sam would you grow up and let her have some." He sounded so old for someone was only eleven.

"God damn." Sam swore and I put a hand over my mouth and pointed at him. "If uncle John would have heard you…"

Sam rolled his eyes and handed Dean the cereal box. He crossed his arms over his chest and sat down across from me. "He's not your uncle."

Dean was giving Sam a stern look which I remembered not understanding at that point in time. John had felt like my uncle and I still would have called him that if Sam wouldn't have told me when I was nine that he wasn't my family. I remembered not understanding that either. But it was all for the best, I suppose. Which is why I found out a lot of other things later in life that Dean and Sam had known all along; because it was all for the best.

"You want milk?" Dean asked, pouring the cereal and I nodded.

"Where's my dad?"

"At work."

"Where does he work?"

"Everywhere."

"What does he do?"

Dean was getting annoyed with my questions, I could tell by the way he was shifting and letting out an annoyed sigh every time he answered. He plopped a spoon into the cereal and motioned to see if Sam wanted any, which he didn't. He was probably still upset that I took his cereal. As I looked between them I could tell they knew something. They were both evasive and really bad at hiding things and lying to me; they still were that way. I just wanted them to be honest with me. Once.

"Where's my dad?" I asked again.

"Hunting." Sam blurted out and Dean threw him another look and punched him in the arm.

"Hunting _what_?"

I had never seen Dean that angry before or been more confused. Dean just shook his head and smiled, putting the cereal back on a high shelf where neither of us could reach it to reenact our fighting. "He's just kidding you Andy; your dad doesn't hunt anything. He sells things, just like my dad."

I remember believing him and how angry I was when I figured out he had lied to me.

_0o0o0o0_

"Andy, I know I'm extremely fascinating to stare at…" I shook my head, running a hand across my forehead. He let out a sneeze instead of finishing his sentence.

"Right, you're really attractive with snot flying out of your nose." I said, smiling as he reached into his pocket for a tissue.

"Thanks for putting that in perspective there babe." He started to make his way towards the cashier and then stopped when he realized I turned in the other direction. "What are you doing?"

I smiled, picking up two packages. "Getting soup."

Dean rolled his eyes, sniffling. "You are not making me soup."

My smile turned into a grin when I realized how uncomfortable he was that I was going to take care of him. "Oh yeah, I am. And I'm even going to make you lie in bed while you eat it."

"You're a slave driver." He mumbled.

"I love you too." I waved the soup at him. "So come on…chicken noodle or tomato."

Dean grumbled, muttering something about chicken and I nodded, grabbing two of them. When we got back to the motel Sam was already up and I glanced at the clock. It was nearing seven; I hadn't realized how long we had been gone.

"Morning Sam." I said. "Want coffee?" He nodded, rubbing his hands over his face. "Great, want to make some then?"

Dean chuckled and Sam threw a pillow at me. "Where were you two?"

"I left a note, we were at the mini mart getting Dean some flu medicine." Sam looked over to Dean who was going into the bathroom. You could hear him blow his stuffed nose through the door and I got him a few pills and brought them to him with water.

"Thanks." He said still sounding congested. I kissed him on the forehead and he shook me off, even if I was backing up. "I don't want you to get sick too."

"It's part of the job I'm afraid."

He smiled. "Not if you leave me alone." He playfully started pushing me out the door and I complied.

"There'll be soup waiting for you when you get out!"

I smiled at Sam as Dean groaned again and turned on the shower. "He's never going to leave you alone when you're sick the next time, you know that right?"

"Meaning he's going to annoy the hell out of me?"

Sam smiled, ruffling his hair. "Basically."

"I just don't get it, I mean, Dean took care of us all our lives why can't we do the same?"

Sam got out of bed, heading over to start the coffee. "He's not use to it. Dad wanted Dean to be an adult way too early. I mean waking up and becoming a twenty seven year old when your only eleven has to be rough." I nodded and looked at the bathroom door and then to Sam. "He doesn't know what to do when someone stops him from doing the thing he ever really knew. It makes him feel uncomfortable."

"You could a therapist, you know that?"

Sam walked past me and poked me and the side causing me to giggle and he grabbed the coffee grounds from the side on the sink. He put the grounds into the container for the filter and poured the water into the back and turned it on.

_0o0o0o0Fifteen Years Ago0o0o0o_

"What's that?" I asked, standing on my toes to look over the sink.

Dean sighed. "Coffee."

"Can I have some?"

He looked down at me like he couldn't judge if I was serious. He chuckled and ruffled my hair. "No."

"But you're allowed to."

"Well I'm older and I'm not, I'm making it for my dad."

"Where is he?"

He looked unsure and nervous for a moment. "He'll be back soon."

"With my dad too?"

Dean nodded and Sam came into the room. "Come on Andy, let's go play outside."

Dean stopped me from making two steps towards Sam. "No, you heard what dad said. No outside, not while him and Max aren't back yet."

Sam stomped his food and looked at Dean with pleading eyes. "Please…"

I looked up at Dean and nuzzled against his arm. "Please?"

That had always worked with my dad and even with John sometimes. I always could never break Dean's rules though, he'd been a tough nut to crack. Dean sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, he was tired and I remember feeling a little pang for taking advantage of that.

"Alright, ten minutes. Not a minute more and you stay right in front of the door."

Sam and I grinned, heading outside. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished and it had been a rainy cold day in Fitchburg, Wisconsin and I caught a cold. When John and my dad had come back, I was sick and they yelled the hell out of Dean for first off, letting me outside and for second letting me out of his sight.

I remember the night after that, when my dad and John had gone out for work again, I was up and couldn't sleep. My nose was stuffed, I had a fever, my head hurt, and I was all around nauseated.

"What are you doing up Andy?" Dean asked, coming into the living room from the kitchen.

"I can't sleep." I said sniffling. He sat next me on the couch and turned the TV volume down on the account that Sam was sleeping.

"Did you take the medicine?"

I nodded and sniffled again, frustrated. I couldn't sleep, couldn't breathe, I was pretty sure my eight year old brain thought I was dying. I rubbed my nose annoyingly and sat my forehead against my knees as I pulled them up to my chest.

"You want anything?" I'd never heard Dean talk to me like that. A combination between being worried and caring.

I shook my head no and Dean stroked my hair. It was weird, feeling him touch me. I was pretty sure it was then I developed a major crush on him. "I'm sorry." He said after a few minutes.

"For what?"

"For letting you get sick."

I shrugged. "I wanted to go outside."

He shrugged right back. "I shouldn't have let you. I know the rules."

I leaned towards him a bit, enjoying his hand running through my hair. "You're not John. You're only eleven."

Dean looked at me with his twenty seven year old eyes and nodded sadly. "I know."

_00o0o0o0_

I knocked on the bathroom door as Dean was getting out of the shower. "Yeah, hold up."

He sounded a bit better, I'm guessing the shower helped clear his sinuses a bit. "It's just me."

"Oh, well since it's just you…" He said and I could tell he was smiling. "I'll leave my towel off then."

I rolled my eyes going into the bathroom, the warm steam sticking to my skin. I kissed him on the cheek as he securely wrapped the towel around himself. "I brought your clothes in." I said sitting them on the sink. "You feeling any better?"

He shrugged. "A little."

I smiled affectionately, rubbing my fingers against his nose. "Your nose is all pink."

"And still stuffed." He said annoyingly.

"That's what happens when you stand out in the rain waiting in line for beer."

He shrugged and laughed. "It was cheap!"

"When the line curls out of the store and you have to stand in the rain and cold to get it, it's not worth it."

"You didn't seem to be so worried about it when you guzzled down two of them."

I smiled and shrugged. "I figured there was no point in fighting it."

He chuckled, looking through his clothes to see what I brought him. In this case, blue jeans, a white tee and a long sleeved black polo.

"Like the selection?" He nodded and slipped on his white tee. He sniffled and coughed, covering his mouth with his arm. "Even though you'll most likely throw something at me with whatever your hand picks up first, I'm going to make you that soup." I waited for the grumble but it didn't come. "Is that okay?"

"I just have one question." He was holding back a sneeze and his breath stifled. He shook his head. "And then I'll let it go because you're going to do whatever the hell you want anyways." I smiled at that and the sneeze finally got the better of him.

"Bless you."

"Why are you so hell bent in taking care of me?"

I was trying to peg whether he was serious but he wasn't looking at me. He was bending over to slip his briefs and pants on. When he accomplished that he looked up and waited for my answer, then realized what my face was for. "Well, I mean except for the obvious reason."

"Which would be?"

He smiled and reached to pull me close to him. "Because you love me."

I nodded. "Glad you're not as dumb as you look."

"Seriously, why the sudden need to be the mother hen?"

I shrugged and ran my fingers along his chest, feeling the warm skin beneath the cotton. "I just, remember all those time you took care of me and Sam. That one time I didn't listen.."

"Wait one time?"

"And we went outside and I got sick." Dean nodded, seeming to remember. "And you took care of me."

"I always do."

"I know, which is why I'm returning the favor."

Dean shifted me in his arms and I laid my head against his chest. "But you don't have to." He said kissing my head and leaving his lips there.

I smiled, pulling away. "I want to." He smiled too and nodded that he'd let me. "So soup?"

Dean squeezed my hand. "So soup….with the star shapes."

I giggled and kissed his cheek. "I wouldn't buy any other kind."

I went out and started preparing the soup. I'd never tell him my secret agenda in taking care of him. See, he never knew that the other reason I wanted to take care of him was because he protected me. Always. Sam had always done the same too but for some reason it wasn't the same.

Sam had always been my best friend, but Dean had always been my hero.

0oo0o0o

"So do we have a job?" I asked Sam as I handed Dean his soup. He smiled slightly and I could tell he was a bit embarrassed that I was taking care of him in front of Sam. I rolled my eyes, he'd have to deal with it.

"I'm not sure, it looks like maybe we do. Out in Fitchburg, Wisconsin there's children coming down with illnesses."

I looked from Sam to Dean. Already this case was making me feel like this morning was ironic. "Okay Sam, sick children is a horrible thing but I'm not so sure it's _our_ kind of thing."

"Well I looked into it. All the children seem to have pneumonia, they were all found with their windows wide open."

Dean cleared his throat. "Well wouldn't that explain it?"

"Except all the police reports left out something." Sam said typing something on the laptop. When he found it he turned it around for us to see. There was a creature looking handprint. "It's rotted."

"On the windowsill?" I asked. Something felt all too familiar about this and as I looked at Dean I could tell he recognized it too.

Sam nodded. "It's worth looking into. We should question some of the kids or parents at the hospital."

Dean and I agreed and Sam started to pack up his laptop and his articles of clothing. I went over to the bedside table and looked through their dad's journal. "Huh, your dad marked up the area."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"Definitely something to look into." I said turning to book for them to see. "Your dad coordinated the place."

I put the book back on the table and stood to start packing the bags. I tried to squeeze past a stack of books near the end of the bed but I bumped into the mattress, sending myself to collide with the books. The stack fell over.

_0o0o0oFifteen Years Ago0o0o0o_

"I'm sorry!" I said, scrambling to pick them back up.

Dean looked up from the book he was reading and Sam looked up from the TV. My dad bent down and grabbed me by the hand. "What did I tell you about playing near where I work, sweetie?" His voice was soft but his hand on mine was strong and demanding.

"I'm sorry." I said again.

Sam got up from the TV and went to grab me by the hand. "Come on, Scooby Doo is on." He said smiling.

I knew my dad was mad at me for playing in his workspace but I remembered that was the closest I ever really got to him. He was either at work or working when was at home. It wasn't fair. I missed mom in the house and I missed my dad for not being who he was before mom died.

I followed Sam over to the TV and Dean sat up from the couch to move over. I sat in between them while Sam put an arm over my shoulder and Dean ruffled my hair. They knew how to make me smile when I was upset. We sat there watching Scooby Doo and I couldn't help but glance at my dad who was re-stacking the books in the order they had been in since I had knocked them over. I saw some pictures on the floor and squinted to see what they were, even though I wasn't allowed to know what kind of things he looked at. But Sam and Dean knew so why couldn't I? It was a hand print but it didn't look like mine or my fathers. It looked like an animal. Like an alligator or a bear. My dad glanced over to see if I was actually watching TV and I jerked my head to the screen. I prayed to God he didn't see me.

Dean glanced up from the book and smiled slightly. "Smooth, Andy." He said quietly and kind out of the side of his mouth.

I shrugged and paid attention to the TV and leaned into Sam. I wanted to know what that was, it was important obviously, because I wasn't allowed to see it.

_O0o0o0o0 _

"Smooth, babe." Dean commented getting up from the table to help me.

I bent down as he came over and started restacking them. I bit my lower lip and scrunched my eyebrows thinking about the picture Sam had brought up and the one I saw fifteen years ago. It was the same. "You okay?"

I looked up and Dean had stopped with a book in his hand and was gazing at me worriedly. I nodded and smiled, picking up the last book. "I'm fine."

"You had that same look earlier today, you sure?"

I stood up and kissed him. "Yep." I apparently tried to pull away too quickly because he wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me from moving.

"Something your not telling me?"

I shook my head but didn't say anything. I technically wasn't. I mean, I wasn't sure it was the same thing that my dad and John were trying to hunt and then something happened. I wasn't sure what, but Dean had been punished severely for it for days. All I remembered was that it had something to do with Sam and that creature print. I couldn't even remember what the hell that thing had been called and that made me think that I had no idea what I was talking about. Maybe it wasn't the same thing. I didn't remember Dean or Sam or anyone for that matter clearing up the confusion for me and telling me what it was. I'd just have to see what other information we got. If we got more and it didn't ring a bell for Dean or Sam then I'd mention it. But I'm sure somewhere down the line one of them would, my guys were the best.

0o0o0o0o


	40. Chapter 39: Something Wicked Part 2

i hope everyone is having a great memorial day! please review and tell me what you think. i was a bit iffy feeling on this chapter D: what do you think?

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 29: Something Wicked Part 2

"So who are we again?" I asked getting out of the car. I adjusted my short skirt and white dress top.

"CDC." Dean repeated and smoothed out his tie. He handed us cards and Sam squinted at the title.

"Dude, I am not using this ID."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because it says "bikini inspector" on it." I snorted and looked to Dean who was letting out a laugh. "I'm glad you think it's funny Andy. Think a minute about why it says that."

My laugh died down and Dean interrupted before Sam's words sunk in and he got slapped. "Don't worry, no one will look that close. It's all about confidence, Sam."

I turned to Dean, putting strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm pretty confident that I want to know why you have a "bikini inspector" card right in your wallet."

Dean scrunched his eyebrows like he had no idea what I was talking about. He patted his coat pocket. "Is that where I got it from?"

I punched him on the arm as we headed to the front doors of the hospital. "Jerk."

"Hey, brat, watch it." He said coughing. "I'm ill remember?"

"Your illness is going to become terminal if you keep that crap up." I muttered and he grinned, opening the door for me.

Sam was at the desk when we walked in and Dean and I glanced at each other trying not to laugh as he had to pull his badge out to show the receptionist.

He pulled out that badge so quick I thought she was going to make him do it again. "Now, could you direct me to the pediatrics ward, please?" I heard him ask.

She nodded and pointed. "Just go down that hall, turn left, and up the stairs." Sam turned and glared at a laughing Dean.

"See? I told you it'd work."

Sam just shook his head. "Follow me. It's upstairs."

We walked up the stairs and through the hallways. Dean stopped for a moment to look inside the room and I stopped right after him.

"What is it?" I asked him.

He shook his head and rubbed his nose. "Nothing, come on."

I tried to see what he had been looking at. There was an old woman in a wheel chair and she had an inverted cross on her wall.

_0o0o0o0oTen Years Ago0o0o0o0 _

"Inverted cross, what's it mean?" My father asked me.

I wracked my brain for the right answer. Since I turned thirteen my dad had been letting me study the things Sam and Dean had known for years. How to salt and burn bones, some Latin which Sam was a pro at, occult references and some things about demon worship. He said I had to take things in small quantities and I wasn't allowed to hunt until I was at least seventeen. Which was bull shit to me. Dean and Sam had been hunting for how many years now? And I barely knew the book work.

"Come Andy, three times now." My dad sighed and shook his head. Every time he did that I felt like he regretted bringing me up into this world with this knowledge. But I wanted to know. I wanted to know everything since Sam had almost died. I remembered that answer. 'What was a shtriga?' I had been asked that millions of times. I also had to remember every demon or ghost the Winchesters or my dad had taken out and recite how exactly they got rid of them.

"Satan…" Dean singsonged and I threw a notebook at him.

"I had it Dean, thanks." I said frustrated.

Dean had blocked the notebook and it was now on the floor. He chuckled making me want to throw something else at him. "Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Satanic Symbol since the 7th century. It's supposed to represent St. Peter's cross." I answered and my father nodded. He wasn't proud that I had gotten it right, he was just pleased that I had finally given him an answer.

"That' a girl." Dean said smiling, now looking down at the newspaper that was hiding one of the skin mags he'd found underneath his dad's bed.

"John figures out you found that he's gonna tan your ass."

"Watch your mouth Andy." My dad snapped and I turned my head to pay back attention. "What are Sirens?"

"Three enchanting women seducers that lead sailors to coves and to their death with an alluring song." I tried to word it in my own way. My dad hated it when I memorized the exact same thing and re-spoke it.

He nodded. "Good, and what island did they live on?"

"Sirenum scopuli." I smiled proudly that I got the answer right and my dad looked among some more books for questions he could ask. I turned in my chair and looked to Dean. "Where's Sam?"

Dean shrugged. "Out with my dad I guess."

"And why aren't you?"

"Because I'm going on a hunt in a few minutes and someone needs to stay here with you."

"I'm thirteen dad, I don't need a babysitter." I huffed.

"That sounded like a whine from an eight year old." I glared at Dean and he smiled slightly and shrugged.

"Can't I just go with you?"

My dad looked at me sternly. "No, and you know why."

"I'll stay in the car."

"No." He repeated. "Just stay here with Dean, he can help you look over the chapter on spirits, which I want memorized by the time I get back."

He handed the book to me and I stared at it for so long my eyes were getting dry and they stung with tears. "I'll have a while then. You're not back for at least three days. I want mom."

Dean looked up from the magazine when I said that and looked to see my father's expression. "Well she's not here Andy." That was the wrong thing to say to a thirteen year old that hadn't had her mother in seven years. "I'm the only thing you've got."

"Yeah, well, I wish I had something else then." I slammed the book on the table and got up to head into the bathroom. I heard my dad tell Dean to take care of me and the front door opened and closed.

That's when the tears came and when Dean knocked on the door. "Leave me alone." I cried.

"You know I can't do that." Stupid sixteen year old attitude.

"I want Sam." I said even though I knew he wasn't there.

He was quiet for a moment, making me think I hurt his feelings. "He won't be back until tomorrow."

I sniffled, rubbing my hands over my eyes. "He's no fair."

Completely different topic, but Dean knew how to shift gears by now. "He's just trying to keep you safe. You can't blame him for that. Sometimes I just wish…"

"What?"

"That'd my dad would slow down sometimes. I mean, he takes us on camping trips and leaves us in the middle of no where. I have to make sure I pay attention so Sam and I can make it back. Then when we do, he tells us our time. He times us and tells us to do better. I mean what kind of father does that?"

I listened to him sigh and I opened up the door a crack. "Guess we're in the same boat sometimes huh?"

He nodded and smiled slightly. "Even though you're a pain in the ass."

"Learned how to be one somewhere."

"Come on, let's look at that chapter. I know exactly what questions he'll ask."

"Really?"

"Yeah, come on."

_0o0o0o0o0_

"Andy! Come on." Dean yelled and I jerked my head to look at him. I shook my head and looked at the cross one more time before following him.

"What's up with you today?" he asked as we approached the pediatrics ward.

"Sorry, I'm just doing a lot of thinking today."

Dean nodded and smiled. "Must be hard for you."

I think he expected I was going to hit him but I kissed his cheek instead. He seemed a bit surprised but didn't say anything about it.

"Guys." Dean and I looked at Sam and he nodded his head towards a Doctor. We approached him and introduced ourselves.

"Well, thanks for seein' us, Dr. Hydecker." Dean commented.

The doctor nodded. "Oh, I'm glad you guys are here. I was just about to call the CDC myself. How'd you find out, anyway?"

"Some GP called from Atlanta, and must have beat you to the punch." I said smiling. He smiled a small smile and I realized I shouldn't really have been doing that. All these kids were sick and it felt wrong to be feeling so alright. "So, you say you got six cases so far?"

He nodded. "Yeah, in five weeks. At first, we thought it was garden-variety bacterial pneumonia—not that newsworthy. But now the kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep goin' down. Their immune systems just aren't doin' their job. It's like their bodies are wearing out."

"So if you think its something like an infection or disease, how is it spreading?" Dean asked and turned his head to cough. "Excuse me."

"That's the weird part. Its seems to be working through families. Starts with the youngest and works it's way up."

Dean and I looked at each other, like we both had the same thought and Sam cleared his throat. "Can we, uh—can we talk to the parents?"

Dr. Hydecker nodded. "If you think it'll help."

"Who was your most recent admission?" Dean asked. He pointed over to another hallway where I'm guessing a parent was sitting and waiting. I really didn't feel comfortable talking to this guy and asking him questions about his kid, who was in hospital beds not more than five feet away. But that's just how the job worked sometimes, you had no time for being socially awkward or treading light on conversations that needed to be had. I let Dean and Sam ask most of the questions but only after a few he said he should get back to his child, which we of course, let him do.

"I'll tell you one thing. That guy we just talked to? I'm bettin' it'll be a while before he goes home."

We exchanged knowing looks and left the hospital, knowing what we had to do.

0o0o0o0o0

Dean had been sneezing at least every twenty seconds and he kept jerking the car every time he did so. The cold medicine was starting to wear off and it was torturing the hell out of him. I wish I would have brought some with me. Great care giver I turned out to be.

"Sure you don't want me to drive?" Sam asked and gripped the dash as Dean sneezed again.

"Does it look like I want you to flipping drive?" Dean asked sniffling and rubbing his nose with a tissue.

"He's just looking out for our well being Dean. You haven't been able to stop sneezing since we left the hospital and you almost drove the car into a tree back there."

"Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear." Dean grumbled, crumpling the tissue.

"Pretty freaking close to knocking the mirror _off_ the car." Sam said and I smiled slightly, trying to hide it from Dean. He was stubborn as hell when he was feeling well but geez, look out when he was sick. I'm pretty sure he knew that too because when we got out of the car I tried to pick pocket his keys but he put them somewhere else so Sam and I couldn't drive.

"Can I drive when we come back out?" Dean glared at me and I shrugged.

"Am I this annoying when you're sick?"

"Is that a trick question? Because you're always annoying." Dean raised his eyebrows at me and Sam smirked, lock picking the back door.

"Any time there Sam."

"Geez, Dean chill alright? Just because you're miserable doesn't mean everyone else has to be." Dean nodded at me and sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as Sam opened the door. "Sorry I forgot the pills in the old motel room, you would be feeling a whole lot better if I would have remembered to grab some."

Dean shook his head, kissing me on the head. "It's okay." Even though he didn't sound like it.

"Come on, upstairs." Sam said and we followed. We headed up to the girl's room and took a look around the place.

"You got anything over there?" Sam asked.

I shook my head as the EMF didn't even spike. "No, nothin'."

Sam sighed. "Yeah, me neither."

Dean went over by the window while I looked around the girl's bedroom. I never really had a bedroom. I think I only had one till I was fifteen. Then my dad died and it was all motels with the Winchesters. I picked up a small stuffed bunny off the bed and sat down, observing it.

_0o0o0o0Eight Years Ago0o0o00o_

"Do you even need this thing anymore?" Dean asked, throwing a stuffed animal up and down. "It's completely falling apart."

Sam grabbed it out of the air. "And that's why you keep throwing it?"

"I don't care, throw it out." I said, packing up what was left of my room.

"Are you sure, your dad…"

"Gave it to me when I was seven." I took it from Sam and threw it in the trash. "Do I look seven to you?"

I turned back to my bag and stuffed clothes and pictures in it. I could tell Dean and Sam were looking at each other worriedly behind me. I rolled my eyes; what were we all in the single digit age group again?

"Don't you want to keep something, or anything for that matter, from your room Andy?" Dean asked.

I turned to face him and Sam. "I did, I took pictures and clothes."

"But I mean, there's of ton of other things too. Think about it okay? You won't see this room again." Dean said quietly. He was trying to tread lightly but he was right. I wouldn't see this room again. I spent fifteen years in this room and I had to leave to go hunting. Without my dad. I wouldn't see a lot of things again.

"Are you driving?" I asked, changing the topic.

Dean shrugged as I turned. I knew they were randomly picking things up in my room and putting in a bag. They knew me. Knew I'd want this stuff all later. "I'm eighteen, should be able to. I love that car." He mused.

I nodded, I did too. "I hope he'll let me drive it someday." I muttered.

"Well I think it'll be up to me, seeing as how he's going to leave me the car."

Sam scoffed. "Yeah, right. Dad's going to leave one of the most important pieces of machinery he owns in your hands?"

I laughed slightly. "Right, you'll probably drive the damn thing into a tree."

"You don't even know how to drive." Dean said and I turned to look at him. Sam glared at him and Dean instantly regretted what he had said. "Sorry."

I shrugged, wasn't a big deal. Not a lot of things were anymore. "My dad never got to teach me. It's fine." I said sitting on the bed that was now cleared of sheets. The room was officially vacant of all that reminded me of myself, everything packed away or left in it's place. Sam and Dean sat on opposite sides of me.

"I'll teach you how to drive." Dean said and I smiled.

"Really?"

He nodded and Sam cleared his throat. "After you teach me."

"You are never driving my car."

"And she is?" Sam asked, playfully putting an arm over my shoulder. "She can't even walk straight."

"Well, we'll have to help her with that too."

I laughed slightly and tears started to well up in my eyes. "I don't want to leave." I said in a small and trembling voice.

Sam ran a hand through my hair. "I know."

"But it'll be better, alright? You'll be better, I promise." Dean said squeezing my hand.

I shook my head, tears falling down my face. I turned into Sam and he brought his arms around me. I could feel Dean scoot closer and he embraced me too. Both of them held me tight between them and I couldn't remember a moment after that where I felt safer.

_0o0o0o0_

"Andy, come on." Dean and Sam said pulling me to the window.

"What? What's going on?"

"Well while you were off in dreamland Sam heard a car approach. We gotta go out the window."

I scoffed. "Well that ought to be smooth." Dean went out first and somehow shimmed down the tree faster than a freakin monkey. Sam did the same thing. Where the hell was my gene that said I could do that? Damn Winchester DNA.

"Come on!" Dean whispered loudly. I pulled myself out the window and closed it. I barely made it to the tree without falling, I had freakin high heels and a skirt on for Christ's sake. As I held onto the tree I managed to twist my ankle around and damn did it hurt. I lost the balance and fell right out. Luckily Sam was right underneath me and caught me easily. Luckily, the tree hadn't been extremely high.

"Remind me that we need to train you in balancing." Sam commented and put me on the ground.

"Ow!" I hissed in pain and hopped on one foot to the car. I rolled my eyes as Sam passed me onto Dean. "Right, this is all my fault. You two and your damn monkey DNA. I'd love to see you two walk with heels let alone climb down a tree with them on."

Sam looked to Dean and grinned. "Give me the keys." He said as we reached the car.

Dean complied but only because I think he was tired of arguing about the illness he insisted he didn't have. He crawled into the back with me as Sam started the car. "So we know what we're dealing with then?"

"So, what the hell is a shtriga?" Sam asked.

I looked straight at Dean as I rubbed my ankle. "Wait, a shtriga? That's what we're dealing with?"

Dean nodded and I sighed. "You know what it is?"

"Yeah, I remember." I'd been made to say the answer for how many years now. "It's kind of like a witch. They feed off of spiritus vitae."

"Which is?" Sam asked.

Wow, I knew something Sam didn't. I wouldn't admit it but it made me feel extremely smart. "Life force."

Sam nodded, now picking up on everything else. "Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearin' out?"

Dean nodded, taking over to rub my ankle. "You know, she takes your vitality, maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone, but they prefer—"

"Children." I said interrupting.

"How do you two know this? I'm usually the one who has to fill in."

"Thanks for making us feel like we're always informational inclined."

Dean stopped for a moment, bringing up his arm to cough. "Dad hunted one in Fitchburg, about sixteen, seventeen years ago. You were there, you don't remember?"

Sam shook his head slightly trying to think back. I could understand why he hadn't. The hunt hadn't gone well and Sam had been the price for it.

"Shtrigas are invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man."

Dean nodded and sniffled. "She's vulnerable when she feeds though. If you catch her when she's eating, you can blast her with consecrated wrought irons, buck shots, or rounds, I think."

"How do you remember all that?"

Dean and I exchanged a small glance. Something like that happens stuff gets engraved into your skull forever. "Dad told me. I remember."

There was some sort of silence in the car which meant Sam didn't believe that that's the only thing Dean remembered. Honestly, I didn't believe him either but I let it slide.

"Ouch." I muttered as Dean ran his hands over my ankle again. He looked at me apologetically.

"We'll get some ice on it when we get back to a motel."

"Okay, so, assuming we _can_ kill it when it eats, we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk." Sam observed pulling into the motel parking lot.

Dean helped me out of the car. "Well she has some type of disguise when she isn't feeding, a harmless one. But it's usually a feeble old woman…" Dean trailed off, looking from me to Sam.

"What?"

"Check this out." Dean said going to the trunk. I pushed the door shut and Sam helped me hobble over to the end of the car. Dean had popped the trunk open and was pulling out a map. "I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now, these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead center?"

"The hospital." Sam said and I scoffed.

"The hospital. When we were there, we saw a patient—an old woman."

Sam hesitated for a moment. "An old person, huh? In the hospital? Whew. Better call the coast guard." Sam laughed and I hit his chest.

"Well, listen, smartass, she had an inverted cross hangin' on her wall." Dean said and Sam's smile faded.

"Let's head to the hospital after we get a room…and some ice…please?" I winced feeling my ankle swell and throb.

We made it to the front desk where a little boy, maybe not older than ten, was standing behind the counter. Dean looked at him for a moment, not sure if he should say something to him.

The boy noticed us and grabbed a day planner. "King or two queens?"

"Two queens." Dean said.

The kid looked at Sam and shook his head. "Yeah, I bet."

I smirked and Dean looked at the kid a bit pissed. "What'd you say?"

The kid smiled, motioning to the Impala outside. "Nice car."

A woman entered before Dean could reach over the counter and strangle the kid. She smiled politely. "Hi. Checking in?" Dean nodded and she looked to the boy. "Do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner."

The boy rolled his eyes and motioned to Dean and Sam. "Two queens." He went into the back to help his brother.

"Funny kid." I said and Dean glared at me. Apparently he hadn't found the queen comment funny.

The woman nodded and laughed. "Oh, yeah, he thinks so. Will that be cash or credit?"

"You take MasterCard?" Dean asked and she nodded.

Dean handed the woman the card and looked back as the boy poured his brother milk. He seemed to be watching them intently and I wondered if he was thinking the same thing as me.

_0o0o0o0Seven Years Ago0o0o0o0o0_

"I hate milk." I said as I watched Dean pour it in a glass for me and Sam.

Dean scoffed and pushed the glass towards me. "I don't care, you're drinking it."

"Sam and I aren't four anymore Dean."

"Dad left me in charge and as long as that is, you're doing what I say."

Sam and I glanced at each other and he shrugged. There was really nothing we could do about it. We guzzled down the milk and put our glasses in the sink. Just because Dean was nineteen Sam and I had to follow him like he was a god or something.

"Alright, we have to take target practice."

"Now?" I asked. "It's six in the morning."

Dean shrugged and I knew the exact statement coming from his mouth. "Dad's orders."

Sam inched over and whispered in my ear. "Maybe if we do everything we're supposed to do we can go to that pep rally."

I didn't think that would exactly work, but it was the only play we had. I nodded as I looked at Dean. "Alright, what do we have to do?"

We did everything from tactics, to shooting ranges, to reciting Latin and salting and burning bones. It was nearing eight PM and we hadn't had a break since breakfast that morning. I was tired and in desperate need of a shower.

"Dean, can we please take a break?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

We were running a course through the woods outside our motel room. Series of jumps and shooting ranges, while running. We had to go through the course ten times. Sam was on his sixth lap and I was falling behind. My legs were weak and my stomach felt nauseous. I had never fainted before but I'm guessing this is what it felt like before you were going to.

Dean shook his head no and looked at the timer. "Come on Andy, you're falling behind. I can't show this time to my dad. You remember what he did last time our times were slow?"

How could I possibly forget. He made all of us run until our times were up. Which made me feel what a heart attack felt like. A pep rally was not worth this. I tried getting my legs to move faster but they were sagging behind me and I felt dizzy. I finally tripped over a log and landed hard. It felt like all my bones were breaking, which was ironic since that milk was supposed to make healthier and stronger bones.

"Andy!" Sam yelled, coming around the bend. He bent down and lifted me up, trying to see my face. I felt like jello in his arms and he picked me up in one swift motion. For being fifteen, he was already taller and stronger than me.

Dean came towards us too. "Put her down. You helped her up, she has to finish."

Sam couldn't get past Dean. He was blocking the door. "You haven't even stopped timing have you?"

Dean looked at the timer. He seemed a bit embarrassed but he didn't stop it or put it down. "Dad needs these times."

"Screw Dad, Dean!" Sam spat. "Andy's hurt and all you care about is the freakin time she won't make!" Sam pushed past Dean and opened the door. He took one last look. "I hope you're happy Dean. You're just like Dad." To me and Sam, that wasn't a shining accomplishment. But it was all Dean ever knew.

And with that Sam took me inside and slammed the motel door shut.

_0o0o0o00_

A door slammed, knocking me out of my thoughts. I looked to Dean who seemed to be shaken too. The woman behind the counter turned to glare at her two children.

"Michael!" she grit and the boy who had offered us two queens shrugged and smiled.

She handed Dean back his card and he smiled in thanks and we headed up to the motel room.

"Can I get ice now?" I asked and I sat on the bed as Dean closed the door. Sam placed the weapons bag on the opposite bed and started unloaded some weapons for the hospital.

Dean sneezed, covering his mouth with his arm. He groaned as he looked at me. "You're so needy." He said and headed over to get the ice pail.

I smiled as I put my ankle on the bed and Dean left the door open as he went down the hall for some ice.

I watched Sam for a moment. "Are we seriously going to open fire in a hospital?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know what else we can do."

"Make sure it's the old lady for one." Dean said as he closed the door. He grabbed a dish towel and wrapped some ice in it. He handed it to me and I nodded in thanks. "Should bring the swelling down."

"Maybe I should stay here." I said looking at both of them. "I can't walk well on it and if we need to run, I'm screwed."

"It's not like you're a lot of help anyway." Dean said sitting down. I took a piece of ice and put it down his shirt. He jumped up and waited till it fell to the floor. "Brat." He said and I laughed.

"I provide the most help on this team."

Sam scoffed. "You can't even make it down a tree without injuring yourself."

I threw ice at him which he dodged. "As I said, put on a pair of heels and then we'll talk." I glanced at Dean who was fighting another sneeze. "Bless you."

"Th-" was all he got out and sneezed. "Thanks." He said sniffling.

"You should get some medicine while you're out too. Or I could do that, I think I saw a mart not too far from here."

"If you plan to walk we mise well just get it ourselves."

I glared at him. "Well you could drop me off and I could walk back. I'm guessing walking on it might help." I said referring to my ankle.

Dean scoffed. "You think?" He asked. "This hurt?" He squeezed my ankle bone and I squealed in pain, pushing him off. "Right, we'll drive you."

They drove me down he street, ignoring my protests, and dropped me off at the mart.

"Don't talk to strangers." Dean said as he rolled down the window.

I turned and smiled. "Only if they have candy."

Sam beeped the horn as they drove off.

_0o0o0o0Four Years Ago0o0o00_

Sam beeped the horn maybe seven or eight times. "Andy, come on! If Dean or my Dad figures out we were here…"

I climbed into the back and waved goodbye to our friends as Sam pushed the gas pedal. We sped off and I leaned out the window to wave. I sat back as they became smaller specks and the bonfire on the beach looked like a small flare.

"It's not fair. We've been going to high school for four years and this was our first pep rally."

"At least the one we went to was on a beach." Sam tried, trying to look at things a bit brighter. "I have to tell you something."

I shrugged, ignoring the last statement. "I guess so. I guess we're lucky we spent a year of high school in a different state."

It was all the same. We changed states and switched high schools. Freshmen year it had been in Alabama, Sophomore year had been in Pennsylvania, Junior year was in Texas and Senior year was being spent in California. Sometimes we stayed in each state long enough to finish the year out, but only because we begged John. We stayed in schools under fake names and I remembered there was once a thrill in picking whatever name I wanted. When I was little it was fun to pick a different name every time we moved or changed schools but now the thrill was gone and I missed being called my actual name. "We'll have enough time right?"

Sam looked at his watch and turned the car. "We should. I heard Dean say that they'd be back around one in the morning and its going on 11:45 now. We should be okay."

Sam pulled into the motel parking lot around ten minutes later and we felt relieved to the fact that we didn't see the Impala anywhere. We'd brought my dad's car with us ever since he died. I'd been too attached to it to let it go. But eventually I knew we'd leave it in a parking lot some where. I hated driving the long trips in it, even though it was just me and Sam in the car usually.

We headed into the motel room and closed the door. "And just where the hell were you two?"

We turned to see John and Dean cleaning weapons at the kitchen table. "We were out at the library researching…"

"Don't lie to me Andy." John said, standing.

I looked to Dean and he didn't make eye contact with me. I didn't believe it at first. Why would Dean do something like that? Why would he tell John? It was the only explanation of how he knew where we were.

"Did you tell him?" I asked Dean. "Dean." Dean looked up but didn't say anything. "Unbelievable. You're such a jerk!"

I ran towards him to hit him and I would have if Sam wouldn't have come up behind me and stopped me. "Calm it Andy." Sam whispered. He motioned me to go outside and I did so, sitting on the stoop. After about ten minutes a fight broke out between Sam and John. It must have been personal because Dean came back outside and went to sit in the Impala. Eventually it got louder and I wanted to go in and help Sam hold his end up. But all in all this was Sam's fight; it'd been brewing in him for quite a while now and there was nothing I could add to help him.

"I'm leaving!" I heard Sam scream. "I tried telling you, I tried showing you how proud I was. I got into Stanford, Dad and I'm leaving for the semester."

I looked at the floor, tears filling my vision. That had been what he had tried to tell me in the car. I could feel Dean's eyes on me, I could tell he'd heard what Sam said as well. I was so proud of him yet so upset. He was leaving; leaving me. What was I going to do without him? Become a hunter and just follow in line with these two?

"And I'm not coming back. See that's the thing Dad, Dean may need you, but I don't!"

"You have any idea what you're doing?" John finally screamed. "You're leaving your family behind! I hope you know that, I've lost all respect for you."

Sam scoffed angrily. "You would have to have respect for me to loose it."

"You walk out that door Sam don't expect it to be open for you ever again."

I could literally feel Sam's hesitation but the front door opened and he rushed down the stairs. As soon as I saw him I ran after him. "Sam, wait. You can't do this." I finally caught up to him as he got to my dad's car and I pulled on his arm. "Sam, please, you can't leave me by myself here." Sam turned and looked at me, tears slowly filling his own eyes. I had gotten a head start; my tears were freely falling from my face now. "Where are you gonna go?" I asked him. "The semester doesn't start for another two months."

"I'll get a room here, make a little money. I got a scholarship Andy!" He grabbed my shoulders in excitement and I smiled sadly.

"And I'm so proud of you." My voice was deceiving and he could see right through me.

He pulled me into his chest and held me tightly. "You're a great hunter Andy, you're dad would have been proud."

"Was this what you were trying to tell me?" I asked, even though my voice was shaking and I was afraid of insulting him.

"You've known me all my life. Have I ever been interested in being a hunter? In being just like my dad was?"

I shook my head no and he pulled me back and kissed my forehead. "I'll call you ever day, alright?"

I nodded and let out a sob. He squeezed my shoulders and lifted my chin. He brought his lips closer to mine and before I knew it I was kissing Sam. My best friend. I wish he would have just stayed. Everything would have been better for it. But I knew he couldn't, he was following his dreams and no one could keep him from it. If he had a chance to have a normal life I wasn't going to stop him.

He got in the car and drove away. I was the last time I'd see my father's car and the last time I'd see Sam for a long time.

0o0o0o0o


	41. Chapter 40: Something Wicked Part 3

:D treat! no waiting two days for this :D review? please? i may be doing provenance, but i'm not sure. do you want to see it?

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 40: Something Wicked Part 3

I hadn't thought about that night for a long time, I didn't really have to. After Sam left, life went on. He used to call every day and then every week and then every month and soon it was not at all. I hadn't talked to Dean since Sam left but that soon changed maybe two years later when he saved me from a crazed guy who was trying to raise his wife from the grave. He'd had a shotgun aimed at me when I was salting the bones and Dean shot him. It was near the shoulder so it hadn't been fatal, but he saved me none the less. We grew closer after that, my feelings about Sam and his normal life starting to leave my thoughts. I thought about him less and less and sometimes I felt horrible for it. But I had to face the fact that he had left and all I had to lean on for a while was Dean and John. And two years later that hadn't been true anymore either. John had gone missing and it was the second time Dean had even said Sam's name. We had to go Stanford to get him; he had to know about his Dad, even though both of us could predict he didn't give a damn.

I heard the Impala horn being blared outside and I hurried through the check out aisle. I thanked the cashier and turned to head outside, looking for the car. I saw Sam had parked the car.

"Hey you." Dean said smiling as he stuck his head outside the car window.

I stopped suddenly. "My boyfriend said that I'm not supposed to talk to strangers inside conspicuous cars."

He grinned, reaching back into the car. Not a moment later he stuck his head back out. "Unless they have candy?" He waved the bag of M&Ms and I smiled hurrying to head into the back with him.

"How'd the hospital go?" I asked as I shut the door. I handed Dean his medicine as Sam started the car. He laughed suddenly and I looked from Sam to Dean confused.

"Congratulations Dean, I think you finally broke him."

Sam shook his head, getting his laughter under control. "You want to know how the hospital went?" he asked and Dean groaned. "I have seven words for you, 'I was sleepin' with my peepers open'."

I looked to Dean, who shook his head. "_So_ not funny, I almost smoked that old gal, I swear." My eyes grew wide as I realized what had happened. The old woman hadn't been the shtriga and Dean had almost opened fire on her. "It's not funny." He repeated.

I opened the bag of M&M's. "Almost capped an old lady huh?" He turned his head and glowered at me. "Oh, you are _so_ going to hell."

I popped a few into my mouth and Dean snatched the bag away from me, causing me to frown.

"Don't stick your lower lip out at me." Dean said at my pout and took some M&M's for himself.

"Oh, man, you should've seen his face, Andy." Sam said as we pulled back into the motel parking lot. "Priceless."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, laugh it up, man. We're back to square one." I reached for Dean's jacket as he tried getting out of the car and pulled him back in. "Geez, Andy. If you wanted me that badly, all you had to do was beg loud enough."

I smiled, going towards him like I was going to kiss him. "Luckily, all I wanted were these."I waved the M&M bag at him and smiled. He looked like he hadn't even realized I had taken them. He leaned up and pushed his lips on mine and I felt his tongue invade my mouth. It was gross, to tell you the truth. I forgot all about him being sick and everything. But as hot as Dean was, I could really care less. He tasted like chocolate and cinnamon and it was driving my senses crazy. I finally pushed him off and took a few breaths.

"You better hope I don't get sick." I warned as he held the door open for me.

"And somehow, that warning sounded awfully empty…" He trailed off, noticing something to his right. I followed his gaze. That kid Michael was sitting alone on a bench nearby. "Hang on." Dean said, kissing me on the head. He headed over to the boy and Sam and I followed slowly.

The poor thing was crying. "Hey, what's wrong?" Dean asked, crouching by him. It was the softest and sweetest voice I had ever heard him muster. I hadn't heard him use it since the time I got sick when we were little.

Michael sniffled. "My brother's sick."

Dean looked up at me and I patted Michael's hair. "The little guy?" I asked him, referring to his little brother and he nodded.

"Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault."

Dean looked at the kid sadly. "Oh, come on, how?"

"I should've made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't have gotten pneumonia if the window was latched."

"Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault, okay?" Dean said. I knew he was speaking from experience and I wish I could have said something that comforting to him years ago.

"It's my job to look after him." Dean nodded and I knew he understood completely. Michael's mother came out of the lobby door with her hands full and tried putting things into the car.

"Michael. I want you to turn on the "No Vacancy" sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service, so don't bother with any of the rooms."

"I'm going with you." He tried but she looked upset and not in the mood.

"Not now, Michael."

The kid looked like he was about to break out in sobs and Dean put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Michael. Hey, I know how you feel, okay? I'm a big brother, too. But you gotta go easy on your mom right now, okay?" Michael nodded but it didn't look like it made him feel any better.

She started dropping things and swearing about it. Sam approached her and helped her pick the things up. She smiled meekly at us and thanked him.

"Hey, listen, you're in no condition to drive. Why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital." I said approaching her.

"No, I couldn't possibly—" She was looking at all of us and I shook my head. She wasn't intruding.

"No, it's no trouble. I insist."

She thought for a moment and handed me the keys. "Thanks." She kissed Michael's forehead and got into the car. Dean followed me around the car and shut the door for me.

I looked at Dean and rolled down the window. He squeezed my hand as I set it on the steering wheel. "We're gonna kill this thing." I whispered, looking right into his eyes. I was pissed as hell that the shtriga had been right under our nose the entire time and we still missed it. It messed with my family, and Michael's family…I wanted to kill it.

Dean nodded understandingly. "Drive safe okay?"

I nodded and backed up out of the parking lot.

_00o0o0ooFifteen Years Ago00o0o_

"I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight!" I heard John bellow, and I sat up, rubbing my eyes.

"What's going on?" I asked looking from Dean to John who was holding a sleepy Sam close to his chest. "What happened?"

My dad came in through the front door and looked at John relieved, and then at me. He rushed to my bed and enveloped me in a hug that I'd never forget. It was the best hug I'd ever gotten from him. It was strong and comforting and I never remembered him giving me a hug like that in along time. Not since my mom died.

"What happened?" I asked again as he pulled away. Sam was being put back to bed by John and Dean was no longer standing in the doorway. I wondered where he went.

"Nothing baby, we're just happy to see you."

"You are? But I've been here all along."

He chuckled, but it was sad. He stroked my hair and kissed my forehead. "Go back to sleep, we'll talk about it in the morning." I laid back down even though I knew we never would. Either I'd forget or my dad just wouldn't tell me. It was always how things went, that's when I knew it had something to do with his job.

I tried going back to sleep but I heard the front door open and close and John's yelling as clear as day even though they were outside. I couldn't remember what they had been exactly screaming but I could recall some.

"How dare you let Sam out of your sight!" John was screaming, I'm guessing he was talking to Dean.

"Not to mention Andy." My dad was upset but he wasn't screaming at Dean like John was. I'm guessing because he wasn't his son and it wasn't his place.

"I' I'm sorry." Dean was crying. That was evident. "I just went out for a minute."

"I could throttle you!" John bellowed. I didn't know what throttle meant at that point in time but John was angry so it couldn't have been good. "You know what kind of things I do. You know what's at stake. Don't ever leave your brother alone again! Do you hear me?"

"Come on John, he's just a kid." My dad was saying, trying to soothe things over. Dean was in full sobs now and that's when I heard the cars start up again.

"Get back inside." John ordered. "I'll be back with Pastor Jim."

I heard the door open and close and a still crying Dean came back inside. He sat down at the end of the bed on the floor. I sat up slowly, trying to see him in the dark. I turned the night table lamp on, causing him to sniffle up any tears he had before.

"Dean?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

Dean sniffled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine Andy. Go back to sleep."

"What happened?"

He laughed slightly, but didn't seem happy at all. "I screwed up, almost got Sam hurt."

I inched off the bed, with one of the blankets. "That's nonsense." I said sitting next to him. "How could you of possibly gotten Sam hurt? You love him."

Dean nodded and his lower lip quivered. He brought his knees up to his chest and I wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. I remembered I didn't know what to do after that. I didn't know what else to say since no one had really told me what was going on. I thought of only one thing. I ran to the kitchen and pulled up a chair against the sink so I could reach the cabinets. I pulled out the box of Oreos and grabbed a few. I went back to Dean who wasn't crying anymore but looked extremely upset.

"What?" he asked, looking at my smile.

I handed him an Oreo and he looked at it confused for a moment. "It always makes me feel better." I said, taking a bite and sitting next to him.

Dean smiled at me through tear filled eyes and pulled me close to him. "Thanks, Andy."

I nodded and nuzzled up against him. I didn't know what he was exactly thanking me for. It was just an Oreo, he could have gotten them himself. He was eleven, he could reach the cabinet.

_0o0o0o00_

"Thanks."

"Huh?" I asked, looking at the mother. I must have dazed off as soon as I got to the hospital.

"I said thanks, for driving me." She said and I nodded.

"Of course."

"You can take the car back if you need too or if you can get a ride?"

"Would you mind if I came in with you? See how the kids are doing?" I hoped I wasn't intruding.

"Oh. No of course." She nodded and I helped her carry in the things for her son. "I hope you don't mind if you wait out here while I talk to the doctor?"

I didn't understand why she was asking. It wasn't my place to be in there anyways but I nodded and said of course. Like it really depended on what I said. She was here for her son, I was just here because I offered to drive. I watched her stroke her kid's hair as the doctor approached and it made me think of my dad for some reason. Children getting sick or getting attacked by something supernatural, always pulled on my heart strings. It made me wish my parents were still alive, something I had to hold onto. It made things feel more bearable.

My cell phone chirped and I moved away from the pediatrics ward and farther down the hall. Seeing it was Dean, I answered. "Hello?"

"You okay?" Dean asked me upon hearing my voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just you know…those kids…"

"I know baby." He said sympathetically. "How's the brother?"

I shrugged, looking towards the glass windows where the kids were laying. "Same as the others. Not good. You guys in research mode?"

"Yeah, were at the library, tryin' to find out as much as we can about this shtriga."

"Well, anything?"

Dean cleared his throat, handing the phone off to Sam. "Well, bad news. Every fifteen to twenty years, it hits a new town. Dozens of kids die, before the shtriga finally moves on. Kids just languish in comas, and then they die."

"How far back does this thing go?" I heard Dean ask.

"The earliest mention I could find was this place called Black River Falls back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show."

"Wait look at that." Dean said suddenly.

"What guys? I can't exactly look over your shoulder."

"Andy I want you to leave the hospital now." Dean said urgently.

I shook my head. He always did this to me. I understood he just wanted to keep me safe but Jesus Christ, why couldn't he just tell me an actual _reason_ why I had to bolt before I took off like an Olympic runner. "Why?"

"Lookin' at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the doctors is Hydecker."

"Okay, well, that doesn't sound so urgent…"

"Andy this picture was taken in 1893." Sam interrupted.

I turned around, looking at the glass window again. Infuriation lit me like a match as Hydecker sat down next to Michael's brother and put a hand on is head.

"Andy?" Dean asked. "You still there?" I hung up right on him as the doctor approached me. I prayed that I could keep myself at bay and not cap the bastard right there and then.

"So, what's the CDC come up with so far?" He asked me. The gun in my waistband was burning a hole all the way to my pelvic bone.

I tried to remain calm. I could not open fire in a pediatric ward. That wouldn't help anyone. "Well, we're still workin' on a few theories. You'll know something as soon as we do."

The doctor smiled and I had to push my fingernails into the palms of my hands to keep still. "Just let me know if I can help."

I nodded and felt blood seep slowly from my palms. "Oh, I'll do that."

O0o0o0o

I opened and slammed shut the motel door, honestly thinking no one would be there.

"Jesus, Andy." Dean said making me jump. "Would it take a lot of effort to answer your damn cell phone?"

"You cut the line when we told you who the shtriga was. You scared us."

I sighed. "Sorry, I was…upset."

"You didn't do anything did you?" Dean asked warily. Like he would have been able to control himself.

I shook my head no. "Other than build up my anger tolerance. No. I wanted to though." I said heading into the bathroom. I turned on the cold water and let my palms run under the flow. Dean came towards the bathroom, leaning on the doorframe.

"You alright?" he asked me then noticed my hands. "What happened?"

"My self controls a little wonked right now."

"Let me see." He held his hands out for me to put mine in and I dried my hands and placed them gently in his.

"Doesn't look too bad. Glad you did this and didn't open fire."

I followed Dean back into the room and sat next to him on the bed. "Yeah, well, I'm not gonna open fire in a freakin' pediatrics ward."

Sam nodded and gave Dean a relieved look. "Good call."

"It wouldn't have done any good anyways because the bastard's bulletproof unless he's chowin' down on somethin'." Dean concluded, gently massaging the back of my neck. I moved my shoulders, trying to get comfortable. "Just relax." He said and I sighed, leaning back into his touch. "So now I know how we're gonna get it."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This shtriga—it works through siblings, right?" Dean asked and Sam nodded hesitantly. He didn't seem to follow or he did and he didn't like where it was going.

"Well, last night…"

"It went after Michael's brother." I said, it clicking in my head and Dean nodded. "So tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael."

Sam stood like the damn thing was in the room right then. "Then, we gotta get him outta here."

"No. No." Dean said pushing me away from him. He got up off the bed. "That'd blow the whole deal."

Sam just looked at him confused. He took in my expression and thought about it for a moment. He looked pissed. "You wanna use the kid as bait?" Dean raised his eyebrow in agreement and Sam scoffed. "Are you high? Both of you? No! Forget it, that's out of the question."

"It's not out of the question, Sam, it's the only way. If this thing disappears, it could be years before we get another chance." I said quietly and Sam crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why are you on board with this?" Sam argued and I looked at the floor. He really wouldn't understand. He didn't remember. "Michael's a kid. And I'm not gonna dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook."

"Dad did not send me here to walk away."

"What are you talking about? Dad didn't send us here at all. Even if he would have he would have sent _us_ here, not just you."

"This isn't about you, Sam!" Dean yelled and turned away from him. "All right, I'm the one that screwed up. It's my fault. There's no tellin' how many kids have gotten hurt because of me." I stood up and went behind Dean, squeezing his forearm. He nodded slightly, acknowledging I was there.

"What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?" Sam asked gently.

"It wasn't all his fault."

"Andy." Dean said making me stop momentarily.

I just shook my head and continued. "He was eleven years old and you know how it feels to be cooped up in small motel room for days. We couldn't go outside and we were what? Seven or eight and we were crawling up the walls, irritating the hell out of Dean. He left for ten minutes, not even, and the shtriga attacked you."

Sam sat on the bed, confused. "I don't…I don't remember anything."

Dean sighed, running hand through his hair. "Dad just grabbed us and booked—dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away. By the time he and Andy's dad got back, the shtriga disappeared. It was just gone. It never resurfaced until now. Dad never spoke about it again. I didn't ask. But he, uh—he looked at me different, you know—which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order, and I didn't listen. I almost got you killed." I squeezed his arm again.

"You were just a kid." Sam tried. I tried telling him the same thing. That he never meant for anything to happen but the fact of the matter is, things still do and it wasn't his fault.

Dean shook his head. "Don't—don't. It's unfinished business and I have to wrap it up." Dean concluded, clearing his throat.

"But using Michael? I don't know, Dean. I mean, how about one of us hides under the cover, you know, we'll be the bait?"

I shook my head no. The thing wasn't stupid. Even if we used me because I was smaller and more petite it would know I wasn't a kid when it got close enough. "No, that won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed. It'll see us."

"Andy's right. Believe me, I don't like it. But it's gotta be the kid."

O0o0o0o0o

"You're crazy! Just go away, or I'm calling the cops."

Dean, Sam and I backed up from Michael slowly. It was hard explaining things to adults, let alone kids. If they didn't want to hear it, they wouldn't and that's just the way it went.

"Hang on a second." Dean said trying to calm down the kid. He was great with kids and I wondered if he knew that. I don't think I could admit it to him because it might infer I'd want a baby. Which, okay, I didn't. Not just yet. I mean this life is so screwed to hell sometimes you don't know how anything is brought up right. But someday, maybe, I'd mention it. "Just listen to me. You have to believe me, okay? This thing came through your window, and it attacked your brother. Now, I've seen it. I know what it looks like. 'Cause it attacked my brother once, too."

"This thing—is it, like….it has this long, black robe?" Michael asked and we all nodded. "I thought I was havin' a nightmare."

Dean scoffed and kneeled down in front of the kid. "I'd give anything not to tell you this, but sometimes, nightmares are real."

Michael looked at us slowly. "So, why_ are_ you telling me?"

"Because we need your help." I said, drawing his attention. "We can kill it." I nodded towards my guys. "All of us, it's what we do. But we can't do it without you."

Michael shook his head and Sam sighed. "Michael, listen to me. This thing hurt you brother, and it's gonna keep hurting kids unless we stop it, you understand me?"

Micheal said nothing and we didn't know what to do after that. Pack up and leave? Wait and see if the kid would come around? Hunt the bastard down? We had no idea. We went back to the motel room and I sighed laying out on the bed.

"Well, that went crappy. Now what?"

"What'd you expect? You can't ask an adult to do something like that, much less a kid." Sam said, pulling from my earlier thought.

Dean sat down next to me and started running his hands through my hair when a knock sounded at the door. Dean stood and opened the door, where Michael stood. I smiled slightly, sitting up. Well whadda know, this kid might have been braver than four adults put together.

"If you kill it, will Asher get better?" Michael asked and Dean turned to look at Sam.

"Honestly, we don't know."

"You said you're a big brother?" Dean nodded. "And she's your sister too?"

Dean turned to look at me and smiled. "No, she's my girlfriend."

Michael nodded and continued what he was going to say. "You'd take care of your little brother and you love her? You'd do anything for them?"

Dean turned to look back at Michael. "Yeah, I would." He said, heartfelt. Sam and I looked at each other touched.

"I'd do anything for my brother. I'll help."

0o00o0o0o

"Where's Dean?"

"In Michael's room setting up a camera feed." Sam typed a few things on his laptop and the feed showed up on the screen. "And there you go." Sam said, turning it so I could see it.

"Wish there was an easier way to do it." I said, pulling a chair up behind him.

Sam scoffed. "Yeah, you're telling me. I wish this was an easier case."

_0o0o0o0Two Years Ago0o0o0o0o_

"So it'll be easy as pie." Dean was saying but once again, I wasn't really listening. He should know how this went by now. "Andy."

I looked at him and looked away. "Great."

Dean sighed and turned the car at a light. It was funny how back then it was reversed, I used to look at an eleven year old with twenty seven year old eyes. But now he was twenty five, and he was still a child. Probably because he never got to properly be one.

"You ever going to say more than two words to me?" he asked me and I shook my head.

I felt bad, honestly, for not saying more than a group of three words to him in the last few years. I wasn't mad at him anymore to tell the truth. I was mad for so many other things and Dean was just easy to take it all out on, because he never complained about it.

"What kind of hunt does John have us on?"

"Wow, nine…I'm on a roll."

I sighed, shifting my feet to lay back in the seat. "Alright Dean, I'm like this all the time."

Dean nodded. "Don't I know it? Ever since Sam left. Has he called you recently?"

I shook my head and looked away. I didn't know whether that was a shot at my feelings. "No."

"I'm sorry." Dean muttered and pulled the car into the cemetery. I didn't care, I didn't want his sympathy. I just wanted to do my damn job.

"Where is the crazy nut job?" I asked.

"At his house, hopefully. We can get this done clean before he has time to start the ritual." He stopped the car and we got out, quickly observing the area and the trunk. He handed me the salt and grabbed the gasoline. "Come on."

I rolled my eyes and followed him to the grave. Some nut job was trying to raise his wife from the grave, which okay, I could actually understand. I'd give anything to bring some people back, but it wasn't right. Wasn't natural. And if it wouldn't go against everything my father taught me, I would have done the same thing this guy was about to do.

Dean dug for about ten minutes before he reached a casket and it was starting to get dark.

"You got it?"

"Back to three words again, I see?" He smiled up at me but I shrugged. Wasn't funny. Dean's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Okay…awkward."

I poured salt over the bones and managed to get some in Dean's hair. He ruffled it out and glared at me. While he was laying gasoline over the casket something shuffled behind me. I turned, but only had salt in my hands so really, what could I do?

The bastard, I'm guessing the husband, hit me over the head with what felt like the end of a shotgun. I went down, hitting the ground hard. "Dean! Burn it!" I yelled and he quickly moved around the casket to try and jump out.

"You son of a bitch!" The man screamed, grabbing my shirt to pull me closer to his face. "I need her! She left me and I need her!"

Right when he pulled back and aimed the shotgun a shot rang out. For a minute I thought it was just me and that I'd been shot. But blood wasn't pooling around my shirt, it was pooling around the man's right shoulder. I turned on the ground to see smoke still seeping from Dean's gun.

"You could have just hit him." I said, even though I was thankful.

Dean shrugged and threw a match into the grave. "He had a gun Andy, I wasn't taking chances."

Dean came over and helped me up off the ground. It was the first time in two years he'd touched me. The man was writhing on the ground, screaming about his shoulder and his wife. "Should have just put him out of his misery."

Dean grabbed my arm, wrenching me around to look at his eyes. But I didn't see a child this time, I saw a twenty five year old, with rugged handsome features. It amazed me that I really hadn't seen him that way before.

"If you think I'm going to let that happen to you, you're crazy."

I looked at the man one more time before I threw myself into Dean's arms, desperately clawing at his back, pulling clumps of his jacket into my fists. It only took him a moment to respond and he put his arms around me, tightly holding me to him.

"It's okay." He whispered, like he knew I was apologizing for being so distant with him. He was right, I couldn't let misery take me. And even if I tried, Dean wouldn't let it.

That's when I knew he'd be there for me, no matter what. Unlike Sam, he wouldn't leave.

_0o0o0o0o0_

"What time is it?" Dean asked, running a hand over his face. He snapped me out of my daydream when he put a hand on the back of my chair. I jumped slightly and he smiled, kissing me head. "Little jumpy tonight, huh?"

I shrugged, letting out a sigh. "Yeah, a little."

"It's going on three." Sam said checking his watch. "You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?"

"Consecrated iron rounds. And, yeah, it's what Dad used last time."

Sam sighed and didn't say anything. Dean brought up a chair next to me and reached out to hold my hand. I smiled as he stroked my knuckled with his fingers.

"Hey, Dean, I'm sorry." Sam said suddenly.

He looked confused. "For what?"

Sam sighed. "Well, you know….I've really given you a lot of crap for always followin' Dad's orders. But I know why you do it."

Dean groaned and Sam and I smiled. "Oh, God, kill me now."

"Guys, look." I said pointing to the screen. Something was unlocking the window and entering the bedroom. We gathered our weapons and sat pensively, waiting for the thing to start in on Michael. Just sitting here, waiting, was making me squirm. Dean put a calming hand on my thigh and I tried sitting still, even though I felt like breaking loose to save the kid.

"Now?" Sam asked and Dean shook his head.

"Not yet." The shtriga was moving closer to the bed and it bent down over Micheal. "Now." Dean said, running out of the room. We burst into Michael's room just as it began to suck his life force. Dean screamed for Micheal to get down and we all shot the damn thing, three from each gun at least. It howled and fell to the ground. Dean crouched near the bed and looked under it, where Michael had crawled. "Mike, you all right?" Micheal nodded and Dean sighed. "All right, sit tight."

We walked towards the shtriga with caution, guns still aimed. We waited a moment as Sam checked the bullet holes in the robe and nodded at us to lower our guns. Suddenly the damn thing bolted upright and knocked Dean and me back. I think Dean flew into a closet while I hit the door and slid down. Damn thing had some strength on it, although most things did in our line of work. The shtriga pushed Sam to the ground and started choking him, trying to suck his life force. It was working too, Sam was becoming weaker as the color drained from his face.

I grabbed my gun but I heard a shot ring out and knew I didn't have to aim. Dean got it, square in the head and this time it was final. No way in hell was that thing getting up after that. He shot it three more times anyway and it disappeared into a cloud of white smoke and after that all that was left was its robes.

"You okay, little brother?" Dean asked and Sam nodded, breathing heavily. Dean looked around the room, noticing I wasn't standing with them and went to look at me on the floor.

"So what's all this talk about you providing most help to this team?" he asked as he grabbed my arm and hoisted me from the floor.

I groaned. "Shut up. I would have had it, you just didn't have your ribcage shatter into a million pieces."

Dean nodded and looked at me unconvinced. "Yeah, that must be it."

I grinned and shoved him. "Shut up."

0o0o0o0

After many hours of icing and complaining I finally got the swelling to go down around my ribs. I was really going to puncture a lung one day. It was only a matter of time.

Dean and Sam were finishing up with Micheal and his brother, their mom said that all the kids were going to be fine, that they all woke up and that it was some sort of miracle. I smiled, taking my clothes off for a shower. Was it cocky to think that the Winchesters and I were some sort of miracle? It felt nice to think of things like that. Kind of gave me the warm fuzzy feeling, like when Dean came near me.

I heard someone whistle and I turned around. I hadn't even heard him come in the bathroom and shut the door. Maybe I had just been feeling fuzzy because he had been right behind me.

"Geez Andy, if I would have known you were wearing that I would have come back in a hell of a lot sooner."

I smiled, embarrassed. I glanced down at my black laced panties and maroon colored bra. "Yeah, well, just be lucky it was you coming into the bathroom. If Sam would have seen me like this all bets would have been off." I joked.

Dean smirked and ran towards me suddenly, sweeping me up in his arms. I giggled as I remained in the air, his warm arms securely wrapped around my waist. "Well, well, someone's feeling better." I observed.

"Been sneeze and cough free for at least three hours."

"So what have we learned from this?"

"That my girlfriend is a pain in the ass when it comes to sicknesses?" he said obviously.

I shoved him and he chuckled, putting me back down. He brought me closer to him, kissing me briefly on the lips. "Oh, sorry, that you're a pain in the ass no matter what you do?"

"You're not getting any closer here Dean." I said and he kissed me for a moment again.

"Oh, okay, I got it. I learned that I have one amazing girl in my life that actually wants to take care of me. And I love her even more for it." I smiled slowly, his words touching my heart, and I kissed him. "And that part's new."

0o0o0o0o


	42. Chapter 41: Provenance Part 1

i wasn't too thrilled with this chapter D: i just can't seem to get my brain to work ...cries...review if you feel the need.

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 41: Provenance Part 1

Sam and Dean were asleep and I couldn't lie here awake a moment longer. I had been up since two, lying on my back trying to fall back asleep. I'm the kind of person that once I'm up, I'm up. Dean was turning into me, grunting and falling back asleep. He could sleep through a civil war, which wasn't so good if a demon attacked. He rested his head somewhere between my shoulder and my arm and nuzzled his face into my skin. I smiled slightly, bending my head down to kiss his. I was thinking I should get up soon. We just got to this motel not four hours ago and we didn't have any coffee. I did not want to wake up to irritable Winchesters and its pretty bad when you can make fifteen different shapes out of a stain on the ceiling.

I ran a hand through Dean's hair for a moment and tried to move myself out of his grasp. It was nearing five now and I wondered if that food mart was open down the street, I couldn't remember seeing a 24 hour sign. His arm had come to rest around my waist and it tightened as I moved. I smiled again, kissing his head as I slid off the bed. It was sweet that even in his sleep he was trying to protect me by just holding on. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and slipped on some jeans. I decided I better write a note telling them where I was going otherwise both would spin into a panic if they woke up and didn't know where I was. I rolled my eyes; like I didn't have a cell phone.

I took the keys to the Impala and looked at the guys one last time before leaving. The air was crisp and some of the stars were starting to fade as the morning light peeked behind the clouds. The mart was about fifteen minutes away from the motel and I made sure the windows were up and the car was locked before I pocketed the keys. There was only five other cars in the lot other than the Impala. I guess that shouldn't have surprised me. Who makes food runs at 5:30 in the morning?

I went in and grabbed a basket to fill with the necessities. Pop Tarts, bagels, beer, water, coffee…we drank more than we ate ironically. I guess, now that I thought about it, any time we ate was when we were out. We picked up food at diners and then took leftovers, hardly ever ate anything from the motel unless we ordered pizza or if I bought granola bars. I went into the cereal aisle and picked up some of those as well. I made it towards checkout and paid easily. I couldn't help but glance at the cigarette dispensers on the way out. I remembered my dad and I going on mart runs, like I was now, when John and the boys were out of town. He picked up smoking ever since my mom died. I swear I had second hand smoke poisoning and would develop cancer. If the hunt wouldn't have killed him, smoking would have.

I headed outside, placing the bags in the trunk when I reached the Impala. Suddenly the distinct smell of smoke filled the air and for a moment I thought something was on fire. But then I realized it was cigar smoke. I looked around the parking lot for the smoker but there was no one there. No one but me. The smell was strong enough that it was irritating my throat and I started to cough. It felt like there were smokers standing right next to me, blowing smoke in my face.

It had to be coming from somewhere. "Who's there?" I managed to get out between coughs. This couldn't have been natural, I needed to get back to the motel. I turned to get into the car, but someone was leaning against the passenger car door.

It was my dad.

0o0o0o0

I was frozen on the spot. I thought maybe if I shook my head and opened and closed my eyes once or twice he'd disappear and I'd bolt up in bed next to Dean and I'd be safe. Not standing in the middle of the parking lot with the beginning of a heart attack. It couldn't have been him. I had seen a lot of things in my life but I wasn't willing to except this.

I couldn't find my voice. My mouth must have opened and closed millions of times before sound came out. "Dad?"

No. Don't except this. He was dead, I knew that, I spent hours staring at the headstone. But yet the figure was there and he leaned up off the car. I needed to get out of there. To bolt to the motel and to Dean. He began to walk towards me, leather and smoke wafting in his wake. My legs were cemented to the ground and his hand was reaching towards my face. The touch on my cheek felt like hot coals against my face and it was enough to jump start my step and I jerked back, moving past him and to the car. Unfortunately, my legs weren't as ready as I thought and I tripped over myself, landing hard on the concrete. My arms came out in front to break my fall and I skid across the ground. I quickly got to my feet and rushed into the Impala. I was trying to start the damn thing but my hands were mixed with sweat and blood and I kept dropping the keys. He came to the window and I locked the door. He was banging on it, screaming his heart out for me to open up. Scared tears were starting to cloud my vision and holding them back made my throat feel raw and tight.

I finally got the car started and sped out of the parking lot, ignoring the car horn blares as I cut someone off at the intersection. I looked out the rearview mirror.

My dad was gone.

O00o0o0o0

I hurried out of the car, making sure it was locked and disregarded the damn groceries completely. I needed to talk to Sam and Dean. I needed to feel safe in that motel room with them. My hands were shaking as I tried the key in the door and every freakin floor creak made my stomach jump. I took a heavy breath and let myself into the room. My emotions felt like they were in overdrive and for a moment I was panicked that the boys weren't in the beds. I then heard the shower turn on and felt a bit more relaxed. One of them was in the shower and the other running an errand. I closed the door and locked it, looking out the peephole expecting to see something.

I went towards the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Dean? Are you in there?"

It wasn't anything against Sam, I loved him all the same, but Dean calmed me. His very presence made me feel calm and safe. And right now I was on the brink of crying and freaking the hell out and I just needed him to be here.

"Dean?" I asked again.

I heard the shower turn off and Sam opened the door. He was wearing only his boxers and t-shirt and I felt bad I interrupted his shower time, seeing as how Dean and I are usually in the bathroom and not necessarily brushing our teeth.

"What's wrong?" he asked. I guess it was from seeing my face. I wasn't really good at keeping things from these two.

I shook my head. Even though I'd been trying to calm down a few tears escaped their way down my cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay." Sam said. I found it ironic that he was telling me it was okay when he didn't even know what was wrong. "What happened?" He pulled me out of the bathroom doorway and I winced as his body clashed against my arms. "What happened to your arms?" he asked concerned and lifted my hands gently to observe the damage.

It wasn't that bad, I didn't even notice it until I hit against him so I shrugged. "I tripped." He looked at me doubtfully. "Where's Dean?"

He sat me on the bed and I guessed he was too worried about my arms to answer me. He turned around and grabbed the first aid kit. I was concerning him, I knew that but I couldn't find the nerve to tell him what had happened. Hell, I was having trouble admitting it to myself. "Where's Dean?" I asked again.

Sam sighed, taking out some gauze and kneeling in front of me. "He's on a beer run." Ironic point #2 since I wrote on the note I was going to get necessities. A.K.A: beer. "Andy, you can tell me what happened. You don't have to be afraid."

That wasn't my only issue but he was right, I felt terrified. If it was my father what did that mean? Did someone do a spell or a séance? Some kind of ritual? Was it a trick of yellow eyes or some kind of demonic projection? Or was it just all in my head? Either way it scared the hell out of me and I wanted to be in Dean's arms.

"Can you call him and see how long he'll be?" He looked at me like I was being ridiculous, which okay, I was, but I think the matter that I was about to break into tears broke his resisting.

Sam sighed and nodded, finishing up with the gauze. He grabbed his cell phone off the nightstand and dialed Dean.

"Hey man…yeah, yeah no she just got back. Hey listen…" Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah Dean, we do have coupons for the Burger Outlet. Listen, Andy came back really upset and she won't tell me what happened. Yeah, okay. Bye." He closed the phone. "He'll be here in five." Sam said kneeling in front of me again. "Am I allowed to tape the gauze on or you need Dean to do that too?"

He started wrapping tape around my arms anyway, not waiting for an answer. "I'm sorry." I said after a moment of watching him.

He shook his head. "Don't be, I understand."

I don't think he actually did but I let it go. I hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. I apologized again and he tried offering me a slight smile, trying to comfort.

Dean came through the door and shut it rather quickly. "What happened?" He asked as he put the beer on the table and came to sit next to me on the bed. "You okay?"

He started observing every part of me. Like he would find something out of place for him to fix. His eyes softened when they landed on my arms and I shook my head. He brought his hand up to stroke my cheek with his thumb. "What happened?" he asked again. His voice was soft, but demanding. I knew that if a human would have done this Dean would have done something drastic.

"I was picking up a few things at the mart." I looked from Sam to Dean and shook my head. "You're going to think I'm crazy." Wasn't that far of a stretch really, I thought I was crazy.

"Andy, think about your job for a minute. We're way past noon on the crazy clock." Dean said making me smile and Sam nodded.

"And you know you can tell us anything." Sam added.

Dean brought his hand up and ran his fingers through my hair and put a few strands behind my ear. He was trying to give me a little confidence and I took a deep breath and let it out. "Those groceries are still in the car." I shook my head. Stick to the important details, Andy. "When I came back out to the Impala, I smelled smoke. Like I thought something was on fire it was so strong. I couldn't figure out what it was so I decided I should bolt." Dean nodded and kept stroking my hair, waiting for the part where something or someone had scared the hell out of me so he could take care of it. But he couldn't this time. "But when I tried to get in the car, someone was leaning against the passenger door. It was my Dad, Dean."

Dean scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. I could tell he had no idea what to say.

"Andy, are you sure it just wasn't someone that looked like your dad?" Sam asked.

I shook my head no. "It was him and it wasn't a spirit. He touched me."

Dean seemed to move closer to me. "He touched you?"

I nodded. "My cheek." Tears were starting to push over my lashes. "What's going on you guys? This can't be my dad right? It couldn't of, it can't be."

I broke off into sobs; holding them in was making my chest and throat hurt. Dean moved himself closer and pulled me into his chest, holding me tightly and comfortingly. He ran his hands over my back and I buried my head into the crook of his arm. He made these little rocking motions that made me feel like I was on waves and he smelled of cinnamon and detergent.

"I'll get her some water." Sam said, standing to head over to the sink.

I pulled back from Dean and sniffled, rubbing my hands under my eyes. I grabbed a few tissues from the nightstand and blew my nose.

"Here." Sam said gently, handing me the water.

I said thanks and took it from him, taking a small sip. "So what the hell do you think it is?"

Dean shrugged. "If it's not a spirit…" He looked to Sam and hesitated. "Someone might have…raised him." He was trying to say it carefully.

"Raised him?" I asked. Even though I knew perfectly well what that meant. "From the grave?"

Sam had the same tone of voice and I wish they'd stop treating me like I was thin ice. "It's a possibility."

"Who the hell would do that?" Dean exchanged glances with Sam and I stood up from the bed, out of Dean's touch. "Me. I would do something like that."

"Nobody said that Andy." Dean said trying to take back his previous look.

No, he was right. Nobody was saying anything like that. But I knew them both entirely too well to know what the hell they were thinking. "No, everyone is just thinking it."

I went past them to grab some clothes and head into the bathroom. "Where are you going?" Dean asked. He partially asked because I was bolting from the conversation, which made me look more likely to actually raise my father. I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe them.

I stopped and turned back around. "Well I was getting a shower. But it just may look like that. I'm actually going to be doing a séance to raise my dead cat too."

I went into the bathroom and slammed the door, ignoring Dean's pleas to let him in.

0o0o0o0o0

I took a long shower. I was in there when the water was boiling hot until it turned so cold that my skin was beginning to tint blue. Dean was banging on the door every so often asking me if I was alright, which I ignored. Screw him and Sam.

Finally he picked the damn lock. The asshole actually picked the lock. I was sitting in the tub with my knees up to my chest as he pulled the curtain back.

"Jesus Andy…" I heard him mutter as he reached under the faucet to turn the shower off. The pipes creaked and moaned as he did so, I guessed it was from the water from being on so long. "Sam, get a blanket off the bed."

Dean reached down and felt my skin and swore, whether it was to himself or at me I wasn't sure, and pulled back. I barely felt his hands my skin was so cold. I wondered if you get frostbite from cold water. Sam came in few moments later with the comforter off one of the beds and handed it to Dean. He must have been watching him wrap it around me and lift me because Dean had almost lost his balance pulling me up out of the tub and Sam steadied him.

He sat me down on the bed and asked Sam to get my clothes. Dean left a long kiss on my forehead as Sam fetched them and brought them back not three moments later.

"Can you make coffee or something?" Dean asked Sam and he nodded. He must have wanted Sam a bit distracted while he dressed me. Which I though was kind of funny, Sam had seen me almost naked millions of times. Why should now be any different?

But I didn't laugh, I just sat there, staring off into space as I felt my skin start to warm up from Dean's touch and the blanket. I'm sure they were starting to think I was catatonic. But honestly, I was just embarrassed I had let myself drift so far into thought that I just sat there in the shower like that, letting the water get unbelievingly cold.

Dean finished dressing me and wrapped me up in the blanket. "What the hell were you doing Andy? Are you crazy? That water was freezing."

I shrugged. "It wasn't cold when I started, I just lost track of time. I was thinking."

"Next time think in warm water alright?" Dean asked, rubbing one of my shoulders.

I nodded as Sam came back over and sat down on the bed as well. "You know we were thinking, for the three hours you were in there, that your father might have something to do with the Yellow eyed demon."

"Does he have that kind of power?"

Dean shrugged, running a hand through my wet hair. "He can do a lot of things we're not really sure of yet. We can research it, but its definitely possible."

"Please tell me you found some sort of job for us while you were researching." I just needed something to keep busy. The smell of coffee began to fill the room and I couldn't wait until the pitcher filled up. I was glad one of them had gone out and gotten the groceries out of the car.

Sam nodded. "Actually we did. Mark and Anne Telesca of New Paltz, New York were both found dead in their home just a few days ago." He handed me a print out of the news clipping and I scanned over it.

"No prints, no murder weapons, all doors and windows were locked from the inside." I grimaced handing the paper to Dean. "Throats were slit."

"Could just be a garden-variety murder, you know, not our department."

Sam shook his head. "No, Dad says different." He reached across the bed and onto the nightstand and turned the pages. "He noted three murders in the same area of upstate New York." He handed the book for me and Dean to look at.

I nodded. "He's right. Same M.O. as the Telescas—the throats were slit, the houses were locked from the inside. Now, so much time passed between the murders that nobody checked the pattern, except for your Dad."

"Something we should check out." Dean agreed.

Sam got up and poured us all coffee, which we took gratefully. I was surprised neither of the Winchesters were particularly irritated with my performances this morning since we all hadn't had coffee. We started to pack our things up an hour later to put in the car and head out.

I hadn't said anything really to either of them except, 'Have you seen my jeans? And 'Are we stopping at the Burger Outlet?'. Dean was in the bathroom, collecting the toothbrushes and stuff, and I came up behind him.

"Hey." I said quietly.

He turned and gave me a warm smile. "Hey, you feeling any better? I was guessing the silent treatment was because you hadn't had coffee yet."

I shrugged. "I'm sorry about before." I said, getting right to the point. "That was a bit too dramatic. I really did just loose track of time."

He nodded and shrugged, mocking my actions. "It's okay. You know Sam and I are going to figure this out right?"

I gave him a small kiss on the lips. "Yeah, I know." There was a few moments of silence and Dean turned to collect things again. "Do you really think it could yellow eyes messing with me?"

"He seems to like to mess with you Andy. That whole thing with Jason." He turned again, I'm guessing to peg my reaction. I'm just glad he turned so I could look at his. "It's obvious that he wants you. Bad. And he's gonna do anything to mess with your head."

"He's not getting me." I said. It sounded stronger than I felt.

Dean smiled, cupping my face with both of his hands. "No, he's not. Everybody already knows you're mine."

I raised my eyebrows in entertainment. "Some sort of memo you sent out to everybody?"

Dean hummed slightly and smiled as he brought his lips to mine, pushing himself against me. I returned the kiss, just as deep and wrapped my arms around his waist.

I'd never tell Dean this but I had tried to raise my father a few times after he had died. I was young and stupid and I found this spell in one of his books one night. I had set it up and tried numerous times. But my Latin hadn't been good and I was pretty sure I had gotten chicken bones, from dinner that night, instead of black cat bones. It hadn't worked and I remember I had told Sam all about it. We slept in the same bed that night, I had fallen asleep next to him, crying and asking why I just couldn't have my dad back.

It wasn't fair but I realized how selfish I had been. My dad deserved to rest in peace and this yellow eyes was going to pay hell if he raised him.

0o0o0o0o


	43. Chapter 42: Provenance Part 2

:DDD yay, please review!

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 42: Provenance Part 2

"Do we really need to stop here?" I asked, getting out of the car.

Dean smiled, shutting the door. "We have a coupon."

I looked at Sam and we must have rolled our eyes at the same time; Dean and his food. I was pretty sure it was the only thing, maybe other than his car, that could come between us. Therefore if he had to pick one thing to not sink into quicksand, I'd sink but he'd battle it out in his head between the Impala and food.

I stayed back with Sam while Dean started to head inside the Burger Outlet and get us a table.

"Him and his burgers huh?" Sam asked, smiling a little.

I laughed slightly. "Who knew a person could be jealous of a cow." I cleared my throat. "Sam…"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Look, I'm sorry about before."

Sam shook his head, trying to wave me off. I couldn't understand why the Winchesters ever did that. Just because they waved their hand didn't magically take away the fact that they actually wanted to talk.

"No, seriously. I never wanted to give the impression that I didn't trust you. I was upset and for some reason my brain naturally shifts into Dean Drive."

Sam smiled and shook his head, making his hair come over his eyes a little. "It's okay; I was just worried about you."

I leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

Sam nodded and turned his head quickly, heading into the restaurant. I was willing to bet my left leg that I had made him blush.

"Where the hell were you two?" Dean asked, looking up at us as we approached the booth. I slid in next to him and Sam across from us. "I ordered Onion Rings."

"Oh you know, sex, cults we could join, the trashing of the Impala. Completely normal stuff."

Dean looked up at me and Sam chuckled. "What about my car?"

I looked at Sam and rolled my eyes. "I love how he completely skips over the first two things."

Dean put down his menu and poked me in the ribs, causing me to jerk towards him. He took that opportunity to wrap his arms around my waist and hold me to him, which definitely did _not_ bother me, but it seemed to be uncomfortable for Sam. I kissed Dean on the cheek and let him hold me, but didn't go into a full make out session like I wanted to. For some reason this seemed to irritating Sam more than usual.

I leaned my head back against Dean as I looked over the menu. He shifted for a moment and kissed my head. "You tired, baby?"

I shrugged and kind of nodded. "I guess so; I didn't really sleep much last night."

"Try and get some in the car alright? We have a bit until we reach New York and it's better if you're rested."

"Saying that for the betterment of me or the case?" I quirked and Dean smiled.

"You know the answer to that."

"What are you guys getting to eat?" Sam asked.

"Is there a certain thing on the coupon?"

Dean shrugged and pushed me up for a moment while he reached inside his pocket for it. He twirled it around in his hand as he looked at both sides. "Just says five dollars off any meal."

"I want ice cream." I said smiling and Dean chuckled.

"Seriously? It's…" Sam looked at his watch. "Nearing twelve."

"Dude, seriously. All Andy cares about if they have chocolate sprinkles to go with the ice cream."

I giggled, placing the menu down. "That's not _all_ I care about." Dean looked at me doubtfully. "I care if they have syrup too."

Dean laughed as the waiter approached. "What can I get ya?" he asked politely, setting down Dean's onion rings.

Sam ordered a plate of fries and Dean a burger and I ordered my ice cream.

"Little early for ice cream?" he said smiling and I felt Dean twitch. I squeezed his thigh and I smiled at the waiter.

"Not early for me."

He nodded and wrote something down on the pad and put it in his apron. "Alright then."

"Can we also get three coffees." Sam added as he started to walk way and the waiter acknowledged that we could.

"I'll tell him what he can get us. A _waitress_." Dean bit out watching the guy and I smiled, kissing his cheek.

"You need to retract your claws ever so often, Dean." Sam chuckled, agreeing. Dean just shrugged, running fingers over my hands. "So, do we have any idea what this case will be like."

Sam shrugged. "Shouldn't be anything we can't handle."

"Well since all the doors were locked and the couple was killed on the inside… some sort of shadow demon maybe?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders. "Possibility. But the hearts weren't missing and it wasn't a really messy scene. Just the throats slashed."

I rubbed my neck for a moment and grimaced. "Right, nothing messy about that at all."

Dean shifted me in the seat. "You know what I mean."

"Okay." The waiter said as he approached us. "Coffee, fries, burger and…ice cream." He said smiling and set the bowl done in front of me.

I smiled slightly and started at it. For some reason this guy was starting to make me feel extremely uncomfortable. Dean must have sensed it because he later put his arm around my shoulders. He approached after everyone was done with their meals and set the check on the table.

"Take this whenever your ready." He said, smiling again. As I glanced at the check, there was his name and number on it. The guy had some bold stones. Was bold the right word? I was practically sitting on Dean I was so close to him and this guy didn't get the point?

"This is Dean, my boyfriend." I said, motioning to him. I could literally feel Dean smile cockily. I was about to add, 'he has about fifteen different types of weapons in the trunk of his car.'

The guy suddenly stiffened. "Oh, well aren't you a lucky guy."

"Yeah, and don't I know it?" Dean said. It was sarcastic because he was trying to be an asshole to this guy, but I knew what he meant.

The guy looked at me for a moment and started to back up slowly, turning around to wipe down tables. I chuckled and looked to Dean and he smiled, shrugging. I leaned off him as he took out his wallet and keys and set them on the table.

"Can I drive?" I asked, looking over the keys.

"I thought you were going to try and get some sleep." Dean said, not looking at me but taking out money from the wallet instead.

I shrugged, sliding the keys towards me. "I'm not tired. Plus, driving will make me sleepy so…"

Dean's eyes widened and Sam chuckled. "Real good thing to tell him Andy. You'll never drive the car again."

I pocketed the keys before either could grab them. "You didn't let me finish. I'll drive for a few hours and then one of you can take over."

"You're gonna get a headache from not getting enough sleep." Dean said knowingly.

I kissed his cheek for his concern and slid out of the booth. "I'll be okay."

I hurried out of the restaurant before they could reply and headed for the car. After I got outside, I forgot where we parked for a moment and turned right into another area of the parking lot. I glanced in on Sam and Dean getting up from their seat through the window to head to the cashier to pay the check. Honestly, if either of them didn't want me to drive, they'd be able to get the keys easily. It wasn't that hard for two strong guys to snatch keys off me. I reached the car and went to unlock it.

"Andy."

I looked up at the sound of my name and froze, glancing over the top of the car. My dad was yet again near the passenger door. What the hell was with him and parking lots anyway? I mean I knew spirits sometimes haunted the areas that they died in, but my dad definitely didn't die in a parking lot. I was reminded of that when he started to walk around the car; he was covered in scratches and claw marks and dead blood clinged to the wounds. I also remembered he wasn't exactly a spirit either because he bumped into the side of the car while rounding it. He made the car shake on impact. He was corporeal.

"Andy…" The sound was like cold metal against my spine.

The keys fell from my hand, making an echoing that seemed to shatter my eardrums. I turned to run from him but as soon as I rounded the corner I slammed into Sam.

"Hey, hey…" Sam said trying to grab me and calm me down. "What is it?"

I turned around and looked back in the direction of the car. But nothing was there; he wasn't there. Just the parking lot full of cars and the keys on the ground next to the Impala. My heart was thudding in my chest and it felt like it was beating too fast for my body to keep up with.

"What is it? What happened?" Sam was asking me. I just shook my head and turned back around, collapsing into him. Sam didn't exactly know what to do and I didn't blame him. He eventually put his arms around me and held me tightly against him. "Hey, it's okay." He said, shushing the small tears against his t-shirt. He smelled like vanilla and I couldn't help but wonder why my guys always smelled like scented candles. "Did you see him again?"

I nodded. "He was right by the car again."

Dean rounded the corner and stopped upon seeing us. "Hey…what's wrong?" He asked when he saw I was upset.

"I saw my dad again." I said pulling back from Sam.

Dean walked past us and to the car, Sam looked at me and I smiled in thanks for before. He smiled too and squeezed my forearm. We followed Dean to the car and stood there as his eyes drifted around the parking lot and looked around the car. He then picked up the keys from the ground and swung them between his hands for a moment.

"I'm sorry I dropped the keys." I apologized. I felt bad that during my so called freak out that I had left the keys for anyone to grab. "Someone could have stolen the Impala."

Dean's face softened and he pulled me to him, kissing the side of my head. "You really think that's what I'm worrying about right now?"

"I don't know." I said quietly.

Dean had a tight arm around my waist as he motioned me into the back of the car. He hesitated before getting in himself and handed Sam the keys to drive. I heard him mutter something to Sam like, 'we need to figure this out' and he climbed into the back with me. He pulled me to him as Sam drove out of the parking lot. He started to stoke my hair and I laid my head against his chest.

"Try and get some sleep, alright?"

I nuzzled myself against him and nodded, trying to close my eyes and welcome sleep.

0o0o0o0o

I woke up around, my cell said six, and glanced around the car. We were parked but I didn't know where. Were we already in New York? It looked like some type of town and we were in front of a house. It was nice too; looked like some type of manor. Made me really wish I had an actual home to come home to and not just the motels and this car. I sat up slightly and Dean grunted, shifting in his seat. He must have fallen asleep right after me. He was leaned against the car door and as I rubbed his shoulder it made me realize Dean and I hadn't really had time to spend fooling around. I mean a kiss here and a little shower together there was not what I was talking about. And it wasn't like it was all about sex, but I knew the only things that Dean drove on was that and food. I could tell we were getting really antsy about it too. When we laid in bed together sometimes, we couldn't keep our hands off each other but we didn't want to wake Sam. And it was impractical and unsafe, especially with something like my dad running around, to get two rooms. I didn't know why I was suddenly thinking of this, it shouldn't have been an important topic on my mind. But it made me want some serious alone time with Dean and it'd happen one way or another.

I saw Sam make his way towards the car and I sighed. I instantly felt bad about that idea. Alone time with Dean meant ditching Sam some how. And I didn't want that. I loved Sam, don't get me wrong, but he really needed a girlfriend. Or at least a fun night out with someone. Just one girl to take the edge and tension off him.

Sam leaned into the car and honked the horn, making Dean jump and wake up. Sam laughed and I shook my head rubbing an alerted Dean's shoulder.

Dean tried to contain his rapid breathing as he looked at me and then to Sam. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. "Man, that is so not cool."

"I just swept the Telesca house with the EMF. It's clean."

Dean looked out the window at the house and then motioned for me to pick up some papers off the floor. I picked them up and handed them to Sam and then leaned foreword in the seat to read over his shoulder.

"I took the history of the house. No hauntings, no violent crimes, nothing strange about the Telescas themselves either." Dean commented.

I cleared my throat. "All right, so if it's not the people and it's not the house, then, uh….maybe it's the contents—a cursed object or somethin'."

"The house is clean." Sam said again.

Dean just looked at him. "Yeah, I know, you said that."

I shook my head. "No, he means it's empty. No furniture." Sam nodded.

Dean looked at us confused. "So where's their stuff?"

"Where else to do rich people get their furniture from? Auctions."

"I think I saw one on the way here." Sam said, thinking back to the drive and started the car.

"Did you sleep well?" Dean asked me as he pulled me back to lean against him.

I nodded and smiled. "Yep, I'm guessing you did too?"

He nodded and I looked at Sam, who was trying to remember if the Auction house was a turn left or right. I leaned into Dean, making sure my hands drifted over his crotch. It was funny how that grabbed his attention almost instantly.

I leaned in and whispered something in his ear. He pulled back and shook his head. "In my car? You want to have sex in my baby?" His voice was a strained murmur and I rolled my eyes.

"It's either that and hello, its an inanimate object Dean…"

Dean interrupted me and put a finger to his mouth, insisting I be quiet. "She can hear you."

"Or…no sex at all." I whispered tauntingly, letting my breath push on his face.

He grunted uncomfortably, most likely because he was enjoying the sudden pressure on his member. I smiled slowly and he shook his head, switching gears. He moved his hands as Sam turned the car and pushed them to my waist. He was most likely thinking, two can play at this game because suddenly his hands were finding their way into my pants. He was brushing against smoldering skin and I had to bite my tongue to control myself.

He leaned in and kissed my neck, letting his hands tickle my skin. "Sure the shower isn't more inviting?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed me off of him, somewhat because I was starting to loose containment. "Fine, be that way. None."

His face drooped for a moment and I knew I had him. His lower brain was beginning to take over the top and he smiled slowly and nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o

We arrived at the Auction House about twenty minutes later, Dean and I barely able to stay still in our seats. We all got out of the car and I swore as I shut the door.

"What?" They both asked.

"I think I lost my earrings." I said looking back at the car.

"You weren't wearing earrings." Sam said confused.

I looked to Dean for help and he cleared his throat. "Well obviously she's not now…she lost them."

"They must be still in the car, fell out when I was sleeping." Sam just looked between the both of us and sighed. "Sorry." I said. "But they're my favorite pair…I got them from my dad. I have to find them."

Sam nodded and Dean opened the back door. "I'll help you look."

"Alright, well I'm going to head in there and see what I can find out."

Dean and I nodded and waited for him to head all they way into the building. I shoved myself into the backseat and looked at all the nicer cars around us as Dean closed the door.

"We should have parked farther away from the nicer cars."

Dean stopped undoing his shirt for a moment. "Yeah, I didn't think of that. Someone might see us."

"No, I mean the Impala's looking like an old rust bucket."

"Talk about her like that one more time and see what happens."

I rolled my eyes. "Roll down the windows a little."

He smiled and did so. "Think there'll be some heavy panting?"

I pushed myself towards him, slowly undoing his jeans. He laid back and let me, stroking my hair. "Well, you never know…"

"Come on, we have to hurry." Dean said and I nodded, sliding his jeans down. He was right. If Sam came back out and saw us, there was two possibilities. Him going blind and vomiting all rolled into one, or him yelling and screaming disgustingly and alerting the whole parking lot. Neither was good for me and Dean so I hastened my pace on undoing my own clothes.

Dean stopped the movement of my hands. "Wait…slower on this part."

His eyes were watching my every move. Every time my hands moved his eyes followed. I slowly pulled down my panties and he pulled me closer to him, pulling himself out of his pants and me onto his lap. I sighed deeply at the feeling. It felt really good to be like this with him again. And apparently, it was good for him too because he was already panting after a few moments of moving. I was pressing up and down on his lap and he was pulling my face closer to his to kiss him. I was closer than he was, I could feel it. I moaned as I came and almost bit his tongue. My muscles clenching sent him off the edge and he came as well, pushing his mouth farther onto mine, if that was barely possible.

We sat there for a few moments, soaking up each others heat and trying to catch our breaths. I got up off him and pulled my underwear and clothes back on and he did the same.

"I think you're baby's jealous." I said after a moment.

Dean redid his belt and tightened it. "If she suddenly breaks down on the side of the road you'll only to have yourself to blame."

"You didn't seem to object that three minutes ago."

Dean grinned cockily and pulled my face towards his. "I was a bit distracted."

"I've missed you." I said quietly. I hadn't felt like we had been close since the whole Jason thing happened. It felt good to know that things like that could still happen between us and that we loved each other just as much as before we started, and when we finished.

He cupped my face and stroked my cheek. "You didn't have to, I was here the whole time. I love you."

I smiled and hugged him tightly. "I love you too."

0o0o0o0o0

Dean and I walked hand in hand into the Auction House feeling completely underdressed. I wished I would have worn my funeral dress inside. I wouldn't feel so much like a wet cat or something. Probably because my hair felt out of place from the car. You could tell Dean's hair was out of place, he looked like a scruffy dog.

We found Sam looking at a painting from the Telesca home.

"Hey." I said, approaching him. He turned to look at us and then his eyes went wide.

"What were you two doing?" he asked. "And no bullshit about an earring." I glanced across the floor and saw a mirror hanging up for sale. It was true, Dean and I looked like ragamuffins. And that was saying the least.

"You want a diagram?" I joked bashfully and Sam just looked at Dean, who was trying to contain his smile and look at the floor.

"You didn't. Did you just….in the _car_?"

What the hell was he acting like our parent all of a sudden for? I still felt a bit embarrassed though. "What? No." Denied it too quickly, he knew. "Huh?" Wow, great Andy, that'll throw him off.

Sam just looked at us stunned and Dean merely snickered. "It's a natural act Sam."

"Not in the car its not. We all have to drive in the damn thing. You don't see me taking anyone to the damn backseat."

I shrugged and looked at Dean. I didn't really know how to respond to that. He looked like he'd pick up the painting and hit me with it if I apologized.

"Unbelievable." Sam said while shaking his head. "I'm never sitting in the backseat again."

"Good thing we stayed in one place this time, otherwise you wouldn't be able to get into the car." I said and Dean chuckled.

Sam just looked at us disgusted and turned his attention back to the painting in front of us.

"A fine example of American primitive, wouldn't you say?" A female voice asked Sam. We turned to see a young attractive woman walking down the stairs in a long elegant black dress. Sam seemed confused by her comment and Dean hit him on the shoulder, obviously thinking she was attractive. I suddenly felt very unappealing standing there in jeans and a black laced top. I was willing to bet my makeup and hair was scattered everywhere too. I wasn't exactly the spokesperson for beautiful at that moment and it made me kind of self conscious as Dean and Sam watched her walk down the stairs.

"Well, I'd say it's more Grant Wood than Grandma Moses." Sam answered her and Dean and I looked at each other confused while she looked at the ground a bit bashfully. "But you knew that. You just wanted to see if I did."

"Guilty. And clumsy, I apologize." She said smiling at Sam. I could smell heat from a mile away. She liked him. "I'm Sarah Blake." She extended her hand to Sam and he shook it.

"I'm Sam. This is my brother, Dean and his girlfriend, Andy."

Sarah smiled at me and went to shake my hand, then Deans. Although at the moment Dean was distracted by grabbing food off a nearby tray and stuffing his mouth. She pulled back her hand and smoothed out her dress. I looked at Sam embarrassed and then back to Sarah.

"I'm sorry, forgot to tie up the dog at the car."

Sarah smiled and then looked back at Sam to continue their conversation about the painting while Dean glared at me. I shrugged, he had been looking her up and down, I could call him a dog if I wanted to.

"So, can I help you with something?" I heard Sarah ask Sam.

He nodded. "Yeah, actually. What can you tell us about the Telesca estate?"

I leaned in to listen to Sarah, ignoring Dean's sudden frenzy for food. "The whole thing's pretty grisly, if you ask me, selling your things this soon. But, Dad's right about one thing. Sensationalism brings out the crowds—even the rich ones." She and Sam shared a smile and I got a fluttery pit in the bottom of my stomach. He liked her too.

"Is it possible to see the provenances?" Sam asked. Sarah was about to respond but someone came up behind me, rudely pushing me aside and into Dean.

"Hey, watch it." Dean barked, steadying me and I looked at the confrontation between Sam and the man.

"I'm afraid there isn't any chance of that." He said heatedly.

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"You're not on the guest list. And I think it's time to leave."

"Well, we don't have to be told twice." Dean said and I nodded.

"Yeah really, we might get pushed again."

"Okay, it's all right." Sam said, trying to quell the rising action. "We don't want any trouble. We'll go."

He pushed me and Dean towards the door and I followed Dean out. I glanced back at Sam to see him smiling at Sarah sadly. I couldn't help but smile to myself.

"What?" Dean asked, opening the car door for me.

I leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Sam likes Sarah."

Dean raised his eyebrows at me and I nodded in conferment. Bet this backseat wasn't looking too shabby to Sam anymore.

0o0o0o0o


	44. Chapter 43: Provenance Part 3

anything you recognize...i sadly do not own D:

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 43: Provenance Part 3

"Morning."

I turned to see Dean coming in through the door, trying to balance three coffees by stacking them. He was doing pretty well. I was about to tell him he should join a balancing act in some circus, but coffee was hot. Not good to piss off your boyfriend while he's holding hot liquid.

"Morning." I replied. I went to help him since the only possible outcome of him tryin to close the door was getting coffee on himself and he mumbled a thanks. "One of those for me?"

He handed one of the coffees to me, leaving one small kiss on my lips. "Of course."

I smiled as he walked past me to put the other coffees on the kitchen table. "You making the bed?" he asked suddenly, looking at our bed.

I had been doing that before he came in. I was laying there thinking about how we never made these beds, even if we stayed for days at a time. It was one of those things that you felt like you forgot one of the most simple habits since you haven't done it in so long. Like not swimming for six months or riding a bike. You're pretty sure you can still do it, but not sure until you do it again.

I shrugged and sat on Sam's bed, taking off the lid and blowing on the coffee. "Ya well, it's not like any of us actually do it. I figure it wouldn't hurt."

Dean was entertained by the whole topic. "Easy as you remember?"

I smiled and took a sip of the liquid, almost burning my tongue. "Just like riding a biker."

He just shook his head and smiled at me. "You're so odd. All these years we've stayed in motels you've never done that."

"You want me to pull the sheets back where they were?" I asked sarcastically, shifting on Sam's bed.

I watched as Dean shifted in his seat as well, trying to train his ears to hear through walls or something. "Dean, what are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out how long Sam has been in the shower." His head didn't sway from the position.

"Um, why don't you ask me then, Superman." Dean rolled his eyes and picked up whatever his hand reached first on the table, which was a magazine and wailed it at me. I ducked past it, but barely. "Watch it! Hot coffee in my hands."

"Okay, maybe….ten minutes?"

I shrugged. "About that…how'd you do that?" I made a face and Dean smiled. "That's majorly creepy."

"A psychic never tells his secrets."

"That's a magician, Dean."

He threw something else at me, which was another magazine, and it hit me in the head. "Hey! Ouch!" I said, rubbing my head.

He winced and smiled. "Sorry."

"Why do you care if Sam's in the shower anyway?" I asked, looking down at the magazine that made a bump on my head. _National Geographic_; figures.

"I just figured we could get some use out of those sheets." He said nonchalantly.

I just shook my head. "I don't know, you threw magazines at me." I made a pout face and rubbed my head again and Dean groaned, getting up from his chair. He kissed me where the bump was and I smiled as he sat next to me.

He looked at me, and I don't know how he did it but he made it look so damn sexy and wanting. I had no coherent response for a moment. I cleared my throat and took another drink of coffee. "Dean, Sam's not deaf, he'll hear us."

Dean leaned over and carefully kissed my shoulder, taking the coffee out of my hands and placing it on the nightstand. "That's because someone can't control the volume of her moans."

He pressed himself against me, adding his weight to push me down on the bed. "Right and you've always been so quiet. You wake the neighbors with your noises."

He smiled, starting to buck himself against me ever so slowly. You wouldn't notice it by looking but I could _feel_ it. "It's called healthy competition."

"Right, I forgot all the hookers and their clients compete for gold medals."

"I'm quieter than you." Dean sounded like he was drowsy. But I could tell as his lips suckled my skin he just didn't want to talk anymore. His mouth was finding better things to do. "You'll just have to learn how to bite your tongue."

I smiled, pushing my lips onto his, finally. No more damn foreplay, I wanted to feel his warm skin against mine, hungrily pushing himself closer to me. "Why don't you do it for me." I said hazily, pulling back ever so slightly and running a hand over his cheek.

"My pleasure." Dean purred, pushing his teeth and tongue into my mouth. He seemed like he didn't want to waste anytime; Sam didn't exactly take a long shower.

Dean was trying to move his hands down towards my pelvis while we were kissing, like doing it that way made it more discreet. The only bad thing, and maybe I just needed to think he had one, about Dean was if I gave him a little taste of something, anything, he wanted more. That little fling in the car yesterday was something little and just enough to drive our bodies to control but Dean was different, now he just wanted it more.

"Dean…" I whispered. I couldn't tell if it was more of a plead or a warning. Even my own mouth was betraying me.

Suddenly Sam came out of the bathroom and my reaction wasn't the smartest. I pushed Dean off, sending him sprawling. He fell on the floor with a loud 'OOF' and raised himself on his elbows to glare at me.

I shrugged looking from Sam to Dean. "Sorry?"

"Real smooth there Andy." Sam said adjusting his polo and running a hand through his wet hair. "I honestly had no idea what you two could have been doing."

"Are you okay Dean?"

Dean got up slowly and winced, feeling his side. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks for the kick to the side. How come if something attacks you can't send them flying like that?"

I shrugged and ran a hand over his side as he sat back down on the bed. "Delayed reaction?"

"Not delayed enough for me." He mumbled. "So what exactly was Sarah and you talking about yesterday?" I wanted to know why he was suddenly interested. "What was it, the providence?"

Sam looked up at him from where Dean had been sitting at the table before the bed debacle. "Provenance." He corrected. Dean just looked at me and mouthed the word over and over, trying to pronounce it. "It's a certificate of origin, like a biography, you know? We can use 'em to check the history of the pieces, see if anything's got a freaky past."

"Huh. Well, we can get that out of Sarah?" Dean smirked and I couldn't figure out whether he thought she was hot or he was trying to get Sam laid. Either way wouldn't be good.

Sam didn't say anything just motioned for Dean to do it. Dean shook his head wildly and wrapped an arm around my waist. I rolled my eyes but leaned into him. Great cover Dean. "Not me."

Sam looked alarmed. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Pickups are your thing, Dean."

I grunted. "Not anymore."

"Besides, it wasn't my butt she was checkin' out." Dean added and I chuckled at Sam's surprised face.

Sam just scoffed, even though I could tell he totally was enjoying the fact that Sarah was into him. "In other words, you want me to use her to get information."

"Sometimes, you gotta take one for the team." Dean said reaching into his pocket for his cell. He threw it at him and Sam caught it. "Call her."

O0o0o0o0o

Sam was trying to fix his tie in front of the bathroom mirror. Which wasn't working so well. For one the mirror latch was broken, so every time he stopped holding the mirror in place it moved and he couldn't see what he was doing. Secondly, he was nervous. I could tell it in the way he kept shifting awkwardly and it was easy to see in his eyes.

"Want some help there Sam?" He jumped slightly, seeing me standing in the doorway of the bathroom and nodded. I went towards him as he turned and adjusted his tie, pulling it through the loops and tightening it. "Nervous?"

He chuckled. "That obvious huh?"

"Well its not like you've been on many dates before."

Sam's eyes scrunched in confusion. "Yes I have."

"I meant with a different girl."

He eyes clouded slightly. "Oh, right…"

I straightened it and ran my hands across his shoulders. "You look great. And don't be so worried okay? You're a natural with girls even if you don't know it."

He scoffed. "Dean's the natural, always has been. And don't say that's not true, he got you didn't he?"

"You had me at a certain point if you don't remember." I said pointedly. But I wasn't angry or upset, I was just trying to remind him.

Sam smiled and nodded slightly. "For ten minutes."

"That kiss was no where near that long." I said, poking him in his side with a smile.

He shrugged. "Back then it seemed like it."

I looked at him quietly for a moment and nodded. "You like Sarah right? She's different." Sam nodded sadly but didn't say anything. I could practically see his thoughts. "But everything reminds you of her doesn't it?" I added softly.

I could tell he was trying to be strong. To not tear up for such a small conversation. "Yeah, almost always. I feel like…like I'm betraying her somehow."

"Jess loved you Sam. She just wants you to be happy. To have fun, right?"

Sam smiled slightly, remembering, and nodded. "Yeah, she would."

"Then don't worry about it."

He nodded and gave me a small hug. "Thanks Andy."

And with that he was off to pick up Sarah. I was sure with his boyish charm he'd be able to get the provenances from her but I hoped Sam didn't think about the job the whole time. He deserved to have a little fun.

0o0o0o0

"What are you doing?" I asked Dean as I came out of the bathroom.

Dean shrugged, putting some weapons that were on the bed back into the duffel bag. "I was sharpening some…but I'm guessing you have a better way for me to spend my time." He cocked one eyebrow at me and I smiled.

"Maybe, it depends." I said, slowly going towards the fridge.

"On what?"

I took a bottle of scotch out and shook it. "Willing to drink for it?"

He just grinned. "Knew there was a reason why I loved you." He said taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"We're gonna have to go ghetto with the shot glasses here Dean." I said, standing on my tippy toes to reach into the cupboard.

"Why, what do you have?"

"So far…two Dixie cups."

Dean chuckled. "Perfect size, come on."

I dragged my chair to the head of the table, where he was, and sat near him putting the plastic cups and bottle on the table. "True and false questions?"

"More interesting? You get it wrong, one shot, and one article of clothing." Dean said, looking at me up and down for a moment.

"This isn't strip poker."

Dean grinned, kissing my cheek quickly. "It is now."

I shrugged. "Whatever, you're the one who's going to be sitting in that chair naked."

"We'll see." He said slyly.

The game started out with a coin toss to see who would go first. I won and asked the first true or false question. I wracked my brain for possibilities. "Okay, true or false, my favorite television show is _Dawson's Creek_."

Dean made a face. "Right, like you'd watch that bull shit." I chuckled. "False." I nodded and Dean poured me a glass full of scotch. "Drink up, baby."

I downed the liquid in one smooth motion and it left a burning that made me want to cough. I held it in and put the cup back down. Dean just sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Don't forget the…" he motioned to his own shirt and I rolled my eyes, reaching down to take my socks off. He looked disappointed and I threw them at him.

He brushed them onto the floor and cleared his throat. "Okay…um. My favorite Superhero growing up was Batman. True or False?"

"False. Your Superhero was your father. Still is."

Dean looked at me steadily and nodded as I poured him a scotch. He drank it easier than I did and unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off and onto the floor. I smell the cologne on him as he discarded the shirt and it made me want him to lose all of a sudden. Badly.

"I had on black jeans and grey top yesterday."

Dean just looked at me. "That's your question?"

"Hey, if you want the alcohol…" I said motioning to pick up the bottle. His hand came around mine to stop me. Honestly, I just wanted to see if he paid attention.

"Blue jeans, white top, red underwear…" he trailed off, smiling.

I rolled my eyes, letting go of the bottle. I shot down another burning gulp and slowly took off my tank top. Dean's eyes were following my movements and I could tell he had to grip the table to stay still. I had on a very light shade of pink laced bra and he was tracing the outline of it in his head.

"Your turn. And stop drooling." I said giggling.

He rolled his eyes and ran hand through his hair. "Sam wanted a kitten when we were seven or eight."

"True."

Dean groaned and I smiled, pouring him the glass. The liquid reached the rim and almost poured over the sides. "I knew that was too easy." The next article of clothing he lost was his belt. Men had too many accessories. Damn it. I was sitting in shorts and a bra; I had three articles of clothing left. But Dean had at least four; socks, t-shirt, pants…and underwear.

"I wanted to be Snow White when I was younger."

Dean thought for a moment. "False…" he said slowly. He wasn't sure.

I shook my head. "No, its true."

"Of all the princesses…Cinderella was the hot one."

I just shook my head and poured him another glass. "You're the only one I know who could ruin _Disney_ films like that." He pulled of his t-shirt and his muscles flexed as he did so. My breath caught in my throat. I'd seen him like this so many times and he could still do that to me.

"Greek was the only language I had trouble learning when my dad made Sam and I memorize it."

I thought for a moment. What language did Dean even know? Did he know any? I remember that John had made all of us memorize many languages, but I didn't remember him having trouble with anything specific. "True?"

"Andy, how long have you known me? Do I look like I could lead a language department?" Dean chuckled and poured me a shot.

I actually didn't know why I said that either. Dean had trouble with English let alone other languages. Nonetheless I downed the drink, let out a slight cough and stood up to pull my shorts off. I did it slowly and watched Dean as I did so. I smiled. "Enjoying the view?"

He shrugged and smiled slightly. "Better than most…" He trailed off seeing the beginning of my underwear, which matched the bra's color. I sat back down and crossed my legs.

"My turn. I named my first puppy after you."

"You had a puppy?" Dean asked.

I nodded. "My dad got it for me when I was about seven? But we had to give it away because I was allergic. I think my dad gave it to a hunter named Singer…or something?"

Dean looked at his hands for a moment, which were playing with the wrapper on the bottle. "False." I shook my head and he looked at me surprised. "You named a dog after me?"

I nodded and smiled as he got up and kissed me gently on the lips. "What was that for?"

He shrugged and said quietly. "You're adorable."

"Adorable or not, you're not getting out of your drink or loosing of clothing."

Dean moved his full glass towards him and cocked his head to the side. "You just want to see me naked."

"Right, wonder what you're thinking."

He pulled down his pants and sat in his boxers. "I'm thinking you're about to loose that bra." He got up and lifted me to sit onto the table. I giggled as I felt his strong, warm arms wrap around me like a blanket. He buried his face into my neck and kissed me hungrily. "Without a question."

Pretty sure I couldn't process an answer anyway. Dean pushed me down on the table, using his arms to cushion my back. He was unlatching my bra and close to pulling on the elastic of my underwear when Sam came back in through the motel door.

I squealed as Dean handed me his shirt and Sam covered his eyes almost instantly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean asked, wrapping me in his button down.

"I—I live here." He stuttered.

"Well, we figured you wouldn't be for at least another five hours."

Dean just shook his head and sighed. "Yeah, that's what a date _means_."

Sam shrugged, but didn't remove his hand from over his eyes. "Sorry?"

I could tell Dean had been really worried about Sam seeing me almost naked because he had this vise grip holding the shirt closed over my body. I touched his hand softly and kissed his lips. His grip loosened and he tried to smile as I jumped down from the table.

"Ollie, Ollie in free Sam." I singsonded and Sam moved his hand away. I saw him slightly smile at Dean as I shut the bathroom door and Dean rolled his eyes.

0o0o0o0o0

I took a quick shower, to cool off, and I found Dean on the bed sharpening a knife while talking to Sam about the provenances. I could tell he was a bit agitated that Sam had walked in on us but what could you do? He did live here with us and its not like we could have put a sign on the door saying, 'Do not enter: Playing Strip true or false and intend on having sex later.' At least we hadn't gotten to the insanely good stuff yet, otherwise screw Sam, we wouldn't have stopped.

"And?" Dean probed. Coming from him, I didn't need to think about what he was asking about. I plopped down next to him and laid my head against his shoulder. He didn't move and just continued to stare at Sam, his hanging question lingering in the air.

Sam was slightly annoyed. "And nothing, that's it. I left."

"You didn't have to con her or do any special favors or anything?"

I shoved him. "He's not a whore Dean. He doesn't have to be _you_ to ask people for favors."

Sam chuckled and Dean shoved me off of him. I moved to another part of the bed and leaned down to lay on my stomach.

"You know, when this whole thing is done, we could stick around for a little bit." I said smiling.

Sam just looked at me. "Why?"

Dean looked up from cleaning the weapon. "So you can take her out again. It's obvious you're into her, even I can see that."

Sam ignored the statement and I exchanged glances with Dean. "Hey, all right, I think I got somethin' here."

We came off the bed and looked at Sam's laptop while he handed us the provenances.

"Portrait of Isaiah Merchant's family painted in 1910." Dean said showing me.

"Now, compare the names of the owners with Dad's journal." I sat down, Dean next to me and I read the first name.

"First purchased in 1912 to Peter Simms" Dean pointed to something on another page. "Peter Simms murdered in 1912." I looked over all the other names and dates. "Its the same for all of them."

"So, what do you think, it's haunted or cursed?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "Either way, it's toast."

"Guessing we're heading out tonight then?"

Dean nodded and got up to pack the duffel. "I get out of that monkey suit if I were you."

Sam rolled his eyes and undid his tie, heading into the bathroom with a change of clothes. I was flipping through John's journal when one of the pages caught my eye. It was titled: Necromancers.

The word Necromancy is derived from the Greek words for dead and divination. It was widely known in the Renaissance for raising the dead and keeping the living alive. For some reason this was ringing a freakin gong in my head. I read over the page some more. Necromancers have been alive and practicing for centuries, some even practiced it today. But earlier in the middle ages they were known as demons. Demons that could raise the dead and have them do their bidding.

"Hey." Dean said coming up to me and I shut the book closed. "You okay?"

I nodded and bit my lower lip for a moment. "Yeah, just killer painting stuff."

Dean ruffled my hair and turned back to hoist the bag over his shoulder. If I didn't say anything soon he would have known I wasn't telling him the whole truth and I didn't exactly know what I thought yet so I didn't want to get into it.

"So Sam's into Sarah right, you see that?" I asked him and he nodded.

"It's more obvious than he thinks. It'd be a shame to throw away a girl like that." Dean said, seeming to daydream.

I punched his arm. "Yeah, I'm sure."

He laughed, putting an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. "Be a shame to throw away you." He kissed me gently and smiled.

I rolled my eyes and thought for a moment. "Maybe he doesn't have to…I have an idea."

00o0o0o

So we broke into the Auction House and stole the ugly ass painting. It's pretty bad when a painting looks that ugly when its night time and you can hardly see it. I couldn't wait to light up the damn thing.

"You got it?" Dean asked me as I pulled it out of the trunk.

I nodded, unrolling it and setting it against the street.

Dean lit up a match as Sam looked around to make sure no one was lurking around o0r watching.

"Ugly-ass thing. If you ask me, we're doin' the art world a favor."

I leaned back against Dean and watched the thing burn.

O0o0o0o

"So sound good to you?" I whispered in Dean's ear as he finished brushing his teeth.

Dean nodded and smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Glad I thought of it."

I grinned and he laid a kiss on me; his mouth tasted like wintergreen. "You did not! You were barely awake when I told you in bed last night."

"I wasn't sleeping."

"I heard snores."

Dean rolled his eyes and put a long sleeved brown button down on. I reached up and adjusted the collar. "Ready?" I asked.

He cocked his head to the side and grinned cheekily. "Watch me make my star debut."

He rushed out of the bathroom and started looking through the duffel bag and through the pants he had on last night.

"What the matter?" I asked him.

Sam looked up from the book he was reading and watched Dean for a moment.

"We've got a problem, I can't find my wallet." Dean said frantically after a moment.

"How is that our problem?" Sam asked, looking at me.

I made a movement like I was readjusting my belt and pocketed Dean's wallet in my back pocket. I pulled a sweatshirt over my head and covered the back of my jeans with the material.

" 'Cause I think I dropped it in the warehouse last night." Dean said, looking guilty. Damn, he was good.

Sam stood. "You're kidding, right?"

"Jesus Dean." I said aggravated.

Dean shrugged like there was nothing we could do about it now. "Shut it Andy. Like you've never lost anything. It's got my prints, my ID—well, my fake ID, anyway. We've gotta get it before somebody else finds it, come on." Dean said hurriedly and slipped on his leather jacket. Sam and I followed in suit, looking highly agitated. Dean and I should have been up for a damn award.

O0o0o0o0o

"How do you lose your wallet, Dean?" Sam asked as we headed into the Auction House yet again. Dean just shrugged and smiled slightly at me.

Sarah came out of the room next to the one we were looking in and smiled brightly. "Hey, guys."

Dean and I stood up from looking on the floor and Sam put down a piece of art, trying to look casual.

"Sarah! Hey."

"What are you doing here?" She asked. It was more of a question for Sam then Dean and I.

Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, we—we're leaving town, and you know, we came to say goodbye."

I could literally see Sarah's face droop at the news and I knew now was more a perfect time than any.

"Oh, what are you talkin' about, Sam? We're stickin' around for at least another day or two." I said looking at Dean and he nodded. Sam looked at us slightly confused.

"Oh, by the way, Andy where's that twenty you owe me?" Dean asked.

I took his wallet out from my back pocket and made sure I opened it in Sam's view. Sam looked between me and Dean, realization lighting his features, as I handed Dean the money. Sam looked angry and annoyed and I shrugged, also handing Dean back his wallet. "I'm always forgettin'."

Sam was annoyed and he just looked between us. Dean and I exchanged a look and shrugged. "Alright," Dean said "We'll leave you two crazy kids alone. We gotta go do something….somewhere."

Sarah smiled at us and we left. We just hoped Sam didn't screw up the small opportunity we made for him.

O0o0o0o0o

Dean and I headed back to the car, smug smiles on our faces.

"You know Sam's now going to devise a way to kill us and make it look like an accident." I said and Dean laughed.

"I see it as totally worth it." He said pulling me close to him.

I giggled. "Me too."

"We've got a problem." Sam said stalking towards us.

I whispered in Dean's ear. "See a weapon on him at all?" Dean shook his head and buried his smile in my shoulder.

"Other than you two being complete and utter morons." Sam finished, standing in front of us.

I put a hand over my heart. "Little harsh Sam, don't you think?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "The painting is magically back in it's frame."

Dean looked up at Sam. "What?"

"I don't understand, we burned the damn thing."

"Yeah, thank you, Captain Obvious." Dean added and I elbowed him. "All right, we just need to figure out another way to get rid of it. Any ideas?"

Sam thought for a moment. I could literally see the files shuffle themselves in his head. "Okay, all right, well, um….in almost all the lore about haunted paintings, it's always the painting's subject that haunts them."

Dean pushed me back from him and went to get in the car. "Yeah? All right, so, we need to figure out everything there is to know about that creepy-ass family in that creepy-ass painting. What were their names again?"

0o0o0o0

We headed to the closest library and got out. While Dean and Sam browsed the books waiting for the librarian to come back with his search results, I looked through some black art books. I was trying to be as nonchalant as I possibly could. If Dean or Sam found me in that section actually looking specific stuff up, they'd be worried and the questions wouldn't stop.

Something about reading about that Necromancer was giving me chills up my spine and it was weirdly starting to sound like something that had to do with my dad. I pulled out one of the books, heavy and ruby red and flipped through the pages. I read quietly to myself. "Necromancers aren't seen by many humans, and the daylight tends to hurt there eyes. So if seen in the daytime, its not for long."

There was a picture too but it was just like any stereotype of a demon and the reaper. Kind of a combination of both. Except he didn't have a sickle. He had a book in one hand and bones in the other. I heard the shuffling of feet and suddenly Dean appeared at the end of the section, walking towards me. I put the book away and turned to walk to him.

"What are you doing in the Black Arts section?" He asked me, looking at the books for a moment.

I shook my head and put my hands in my pockets. "Nothing, just browsing."

"For what?"

I shook my head again, trying to think of another word other than nothing. But it was to no avail and my stomach started doing flip-flops. "Nothing."

Dean nodded, looking highly unconvinced and a bit peeved I was lying to him. "Andy, I didn't meet you yesterday, I know when you're not telling me something."

"We should get back to Sam."

Dean sighed as I went past him and headed back to where Sam was talking with the librarian. I felt horrible that I couldn't tell Dean. But for some reason I wanted to do this on my own. Or maybe because as soon as Dean found out it was this Necromancy demon, he'd get rid of it. I hadn't seen my father for years, I didn't want to give this up quite yet.

"It seems this Isaiah—he slits his kids' throats, then his wife, then himself. Now, he was a barber by trade—used a straight razor." The librarian said and I looked to Dean. But he wasn't looking at me, he was staring straight at Sam and the librarian. He was mad at me.

"Why'd he do it?" Sam asked.

"Well, let's look." He opened a newspaper book and began reading the article. "People who knew him described Isaiah as having a stern and harsh temperament and controlled his family with an iron fist." Wife, two sons, adopted daughter—yeah, yeah—there were whispers that the wife was gonna take the kids and leave, which, of course, you know, in that day and age….so, instead, Old Man Isaiah—well, he gave them all a shave."

"What happens to the bodies?" I asked. For a moment I felt like the question was out of line since I had no idea who we were exactly pretending to be.

"It just says they were all cremated." He said and I could feel Sam and Dean exchange an annoyed look.

"Anything else?" Dean asked. I could tell he just wanted to get me out of there before I started conjuring my dead cat or something.

"Yeah. Actually, I found a picture of the family. It's right here somewhere." He opened to a certain page and showed us. "Right. Here it is." The picture was the same as the painting but something was different but I couldn't exactly place my finger on it. Sam seemed to notice it too and asked if he could get a copy printed.

0o0oo0o0o

"I'm telling you, man, I'm sure of it. Painting at the auction house, Dad is lookin' down. Painting here, Dad's lookin' out. The painting has changed, Dean." Sam said trying to show the paper to Dean for the millionth time.

"I'm driving!" Dean said frantically as he pushed the paper out of his eyes and made sure no car was near his. We stopped at a red light and he took the paper from Sam. "All right, so, you think Daddy Dearest is trapped in the painting? He's handin' out Columbian neckties like he did with his family?"

I sat up in between the seats, trying to ignore the falling pit in my stomach when Dean made an aggravated face. "Yeah, it seems like it. But if his bones are already dusted, then how are we gonna stop him?"

Sam was waiting for Dean to answer me and when he didn't Sam gave me a confused look. I rolled my eyes and sat back in my seat, looking out the window as Dean drove through the green light. "Well, if Isaiah's position changed, maybe some other things in the painting changed as well. It could give us some clues."

"We gotta get back in and see that painting." I said quietly.

"She's right. Which is a good thing because you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend."

Sam rolled his eyes and grumbled as we pulled into the parking lot. We all got out of the car and I pulled on Dean's arm as he tried heading before all of us back to our room. Dean just looked at me. I could tell he was weighing the options in his head. He was angry at me for not telling him what was going on. I didn't blame him, I mean he did have reasonable concern for finding me in the Dark Arts section reading through books. I'd be worried too. So he'd forget the anger if I told him why I had been there, and why I had avoided telling him in the first place.

"You gonna tell me what's going on?" he asked. I nodded meekly and leaned against the Impala door. Dean turned to Sam and motioned for him to head back inside. "Call Sarah and see if she can let us see that painting again."

Sam nodded and looked between us for a moment but then finally turned around.

He crossed his arms over his chest and I looked at him a moment. His eyebrows raised; he wanted me to start. I cleared my throat. "I was looking through the Dark Arts section because…I was doing research."

Dean laughed in a way that wasn't the least bit funny. "Well, us being in a library and such, I figured that. Don't be vague with me, Andy." His tone was very serious. Was he that concerned why I had been in that section?

I huffed and rolled my eyes, pushing myself off the car. I had the sudden feeling to get smart with him. "Why the hell does it matter to you so much?"

Dean's face scrunched up like he was angry and confused at the same time. "How bout because my girlfriend is lingering around Black Magic and her zombie father is walking around."

I pushed him suddenly, hard on the chest. It wouldn't have knocked him anywhere. He was just genuinely surprised by the action. "Don't talk about my dad like that!"

He looked at me a moment and I refused to let angry tears even breach my eyelids. He rubbed the side of his face and sighed. "I'm sorry but you have to understand where I'm coming from."

"You think I'm raising him. You think I'd do that? Like I haven't paid any attention to this job since I started?"

Dean shifted on his feet and crossed his arms. I think he was afraid I'd try to push him again. "I think you're upset and it's not so far stretched."

"I wasn't in the Black Arts section because of that!" I spat. "I found a Necromancer in your father's journal and I went to look up more information. That's why I didn't tell you what I was doing. I didn't want to jump the gun and think that my father was actually a Necromancer."

"Why? Why wouldn't you want to tell me that? Then I wouldn't have this voice shouting in my head that you're in trouble."

Having a protective boyfriend can be a real pain sometimes. "Because I didn't want to believe it okay?" Dean's face swayed with sympathy. It was like a crashing wave over his features. "Even though I knew deep down it wasn't…it looked like him and smelled like him. It just…it was, kind of comforting." I said softly and ran my fingers under my eyes where the tears hadn't fallen yet.

He came closer to me, pulling me into a strong hug. I resisted for a moment but then let myself sink deep into his chest. His one arm was rubbing in small soothing circles around my back and the other was stroking my cheek. "We'll tell Sam after this hunt and we'll figure it out. Okay?"

I nodded. Even though deep down that was kind of what I was afraid of.

0o0o0o0o

Sam came out of the motel room moments later, moving frenetically fast towards us and the car. Apparently Sarah had sold the painting to someone before we had gotten a chance to look at it. Sam got the address and we sped there as fast as Dean could drive us. Unfortunately when we got there Sarah was there too and the lady that she had sold the painting to was dead. How in the hell were we going to explain that one? We looked wickedly conspicuous. We had needed to get into that house, but couldn't explain why, Dean had picked the lock because he would have broke his shoulder trying to break it down and the lady was dead when we got in there.

I have no idea why Sarah lied to the cops for us, but she did and now Sam had explaining to do.

"I just lied to the cops and told them I went to Evelyn's alone and found her like that. I'm about to call 'em right back if you don't tell me what the hell is going on. Who's killing these people?" She was pissed and Dean and I exchanged looks. Good luck, Sam.

"It's not who, it's what is killing these people." Sarah shook her head. "You saw that painting move."

"No. No, I was seeing things. It's impossible."

"Yeah, well, welcome to our world." Dean chimed in and I nudged him to be quiet. He was researching Necromancy on Sam's computer and I stood next to him as he did so. Sam and Sarah continued to have their conversation and I kissed Dean on the cheek as the Wikipedia page loaded. He smiled at the small gesture of thanks and pulled me to sit on his lap.

"What? No. Sarah, no, you should just go home. This stuff can get dangerous, and…" I looked up at that part of Sam's conversation and I knew he could tell I had done so. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Look, you guys are probably crazy. I'm not saying I'm not scared, 'cause I am scared as hell, but I'm not gonna run and hide, either." She went towards the door and looked at all of us. "So, are we going or what?"

Sam looked at us somewhat surprised.

"Hey Sam?"

"What?" he asked me.

"Marry that girl."

0o0o0o0

So there we were breaking into the damn house again, except this time it was cutting through police tape. Sarah followed behind us warily and we pulled the painting down from the wall. We compared it to the paper printout from the library and realized there was a painting inside the painting. It was on the wall and it was different. In the scarier painting that liked to kill you there was a mausoleum. So we looked up all the cemeteries in the area and looked for the one that had a crypt for Merchant.

"That's the third bone yard we've checked. I think this ghost is jerkin' us around."

"My feet hurt." I said grumbling and Dean kissed the side of my head.

"So, this is what you guys do for a living?" Sarah asked us.

Sam shrugged. "Not exactly. We don't get paid."

"Well, Mazel Tov."

Luckily, this was the grave yard that had the crypt in it. We found it after wandering ten minutes later and headed towards it. We walked in and I ran straight into a freakin cob web. I smash the thing away from my face and sneezed as I waved dust around.

"Bless you." Dean said and I nodded.

"Okay, that right there is the creepiest thing I've ever seen." Sarah said and I came up to look at it as well.

"No kidding." I said observing the small doll inside. It's face looked like it was rotted because of how old it was.

"It was sort of a tradition at the time. Whenever a child died, sometimes they'd preserve the kid's favorite toy in a glass case right next to the headstone in a crypt."

"You notice anything strange here?" Dean asked.

Sarah looked around. "Uh, where do I start?" she asked and Sam smiled at her.

"No, that's not what he means. Look at the urns." I said.

"Yeah, there are only four."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, Mom and the three kids. Daddy Dearest isn't here."

I looked at Sam and Dean. "So where is he?"

0o0o0o0

"How are you going to get in?" I asked Dean.

"Some type of cop." Dean said, searching through the glove compartment of IDs.

I glanced over at Sam and Sarah, they were laughing with each other and fooling around waiting for Dean to get in the Department and search county death certificates, trying to find out what happened to Isaiah's body.

I smiled as Dean pulled himself out of the car. "What?" he asked.

"I like Sarah." She made Sam laugh and his grins were glowing.

"Damn, Andy. If you swung that way we could have invited her to the car with us…"

I turned back and smacked Dean on the shoulder. "Ew."

He chuckled and I walked him towards the door. "I know what you meant. I like her too. She seems good for Sam."

I kissed him on the cheek and motioned towards the doors. "Go work your acting career baby."

He grinned, went towards the guy at the door and flashed his badge, lying his ass off. They let him in under three minutes. New record.

I sauntered near where Sam and Sarah was but not close enough that I was bothering anyone. But I made damn sure I could hear them.

"And tomorrow, I could get hit by a bus." Okay, weird sentence to eavesdrop on. "That's what life is. Look, I know losing somebody you love—it's terrible. You shut yourself off, believe me, I know. But when you shut out pain, you shut out everything else, too."

And that's what Sam was missing. He didn't want anyone to be near him because bad things always happened in our line of work. What he refused to understand was that bad things always happened everywhere.

"Look, Sarah, you don't understand. The pain that I went through—I can't go through it again. I can't."

Before she could respond, I felt someone come up behind me and wrap his arms around me pushing me towards Sam and Sarah.

"Am I interrupting something?" Dean asked and let go of me with a smile.

They both denied it basically at the same time. Boy, were they smooth.

"Apparently…."

Sam ignored me. "So, what'd you get?"

"Apparently, the surviving relatives of the Merchant family were so ashamed of Isaiah that they didn't want him interred with the rest of the family. So, they handed him over to the county. The county gave him a pauper's funeral—economy-style. Turns out he wasn't cremated, he was buried in a pine box."

"So, there _are_ bones to burn?"

"There are bones to burn." Dean said entertained.

"Tell me you know where." I said.

Dean smiled. "I'll tell you anything you want to hear."

O00o0o0o

So we burned the bones, wishing Isaiah, the pain in the ass he was, good riddance. Sam wanted to head to the house and burn the damn painting, which I didn't' blame him. Damn thing was ugly anyway.

"Keep the motor running." Sam said as he got out.

"I thought the painting was harmless now." Sarah said getting out of the backseat. I crawled up between the seats and plopped myself next to Dean.

Sam shrugged. "Better safe than sorry."

Dean motioned for Sam to come to the window as Sarah walked up the stairs. "Hey, hey, hey. We'll stay here, you go make your move." I grinned and Sam scoffed. "Sam, I'm serious."

Sam turned around and I hurried up and turned on the radio. A love song started it's slow melody out of the speakers and Sam turned and glared. Dean burst out laughing and I shrugged. Sam motioned for me to cut it off and I rolled my eyes, turning the music off.

Of course not five minutes Sam and Sara entered, the door slammed shut. I motioned to Dean and we bolted from the car. Dean banged on the door and we could hear Sam's muffled voice from inside.

"Dean! Hey! Is that you?"

"Yeah, you all right?"

I called Sam on his phone so we wouldn't be confused about what he was saying. "Tell me you slammed the front door." I said, putting him on speaker.

"No, it wasn't me. I think it was the little girl."

"The girl? What girl?" Dean asked. He was getting anxious. He was worried about Sam being in that house with a very violent spirit. Not to mention Sarah was inexperienced, so it was easier for her to get killed.

"Yeah, she's out of the painting. I think it might have been her all along." Sam answered. "Let's recap later, all right? Just get us out of here."

I handed Dean the phone and tried picking the lock. "Well, Andy's tryin' to pick the lock, but the door won't budge."

"Well, then, break it down." Sam said like it was obvious.

I scoffed and looked at Dean, who was looking at the phone incredulously. "Okay, genius, let me grab my battering ram. You're gonna have to hold it off until I figure somethin' out. Get some salt or iron."

Dean moved me aside and handed me the phone, trying to break down the door. It was totally unsuccessful, what the hell was this door made of? I could tell he was really starting hurt his shoulder.

"Son of a bitch." Dean grit out, stepping back and looking at the door.

I could hear rustling and the lights were flickering throughout the house.

"Sam, you okay?"

"Yeah, for now, we found iron."

"How we gonna waste her?" Dean asked.

"Wait, back then…" I heard Sarah start to say. But she was muffled, like she was far away.

Sam came on all of a sudden and he was loud and clear. "Guys, Sarah says the doll might have the girl's hair. Human remains—same as bones."

Dean and I looked at each other. "The mausoleum."

I hung up on Sam and Dean and I bolted to the car, jumped in and sped to the cemetery again. I just hoped Sam and Sarah would be okay; I knew Sam would never forgive himself if something happened to her.

Dean drove straight through the gate and pulled up to the mausoleum, screeching the tires. Once inside, we found the case with the doll and Dean tried using the back of his gun to break it open. I watched him for a moment and then realized something.

"Dean…you have a gun."

He looked at me for a moment and groaned and muttered to himself. "Come on, Dean!" He shot at the glass and broke through it.

He took the doll out of the case but was having trouble lighting the hair on fire. "Come on, come on!" He yelled at the lighter.

I cupped my hands around the flickering spark and the flame engulfed, burning the hair. I called Sam on his cell as Dean dropped the doll and let the fire take over it's form.

"You alright?" I asked Sam as he picked up.

"Not bad." He sounded exhausted; I knew the feeling. I slumped down on the crypt floor and took a deep breath.

O0o0000o

"This was archived in the county records." Dean said as we all stood around the Auction House. We were leaving today and Sam wanted to wish Sarah goodbye. I hoped he knew if he didn't at least kiss her I was never letting him live it down. "The Merchants adopted daughter, Melanie. Know why she was up for adoption? 'Cause her real family was murdered in their beds."

"She killed them?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, who'd suspect her, a sweet little girl? So, then she kills Isaiah and his family, the old man takes the blame—spirit's been tryin' to warn people ever since."

"I guess this means you're leaving." She said looking at Sam. He shrugged and we were all awkwardly silent for a moment.

"We'll go wait in the car. See ya, Sarah." Sarah nodded and smiled at us as we left.

Dean held the door open for me and I realized he was talking to himself. "I'm the one who burned the doll, destroyed the spirit, but don't thank me or anything."

"You're an idiot." I said affectionately and he smiled, shrugging.

"I just feel as if I should be thanked properly."

I pushed him back against his car, pulling on the ends of the collar of his leather jacket. I leaned into him and kissed him passionately on the lips and I could feel his arms slowly circle my back and waist. "Thanked enough?"

He shook his head no and grabbed my chin gently, pulling me towards him for another kiss. As we broke away, we weren't the only ones kissing. Sam and Sarah were kissing each other passionately as well at the back door. Dean and I smiled at each other and Dean squeezed around my waist.

"That's my boy."

"Maybe we can loan him the back seat?" I asked.

Dean scoffed. "Back seat is ours baby. Don't even think about it."

I giggled as he pushed me towards the back seat of the car. I guessed Sam would be driving.

0o0o0o0o

long chapter :D wheres my reviewers??


	45. Chapter 44: Dead Man's Blood Part 1

ooo, i just got one review over on livejournal that said this story was very self-inserted. just so everyone knows, Andy is not me. She's my charecter but one all her own. Plus, i like the way of first person, this is the first fic i've done that with. i hope no one over here thinks the same D:

By the way, I just wanted to say thank you to all my constant reviewers! sorry if i forget to say that often!!

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 44: Dead Man's Blood Part 1

One o'clock AM. Three AM. Five AM…I hit the bedside sheets in annoyance and shook my head turning on my side. Every hour of sleep and I was having a nightmare. It didn't make any sense. Nothing tied in with one another. One was of Dean and Sam and we were at the Grand Canyon, one was a dog getting hit by a car, my mom at her bedroom window, my dad lighting a cigar…there was a whole lot more. Every time I shut my eyes it was the same deal. I'd sleep an hour at most and then I'd have a nightmare. It was funny I was even calling them that since none of them had been downright scary to terrify me from falling asleep. Actually the dog one was pretty bad, I still had the screeching tires and howling dog echoing in my head to prove it. I sat up, trying not to wake Dean in the process. What the hell was going on with me?

I just sat there and sighed, rubbing my eyelids and massaging my tired eyes. They'd be getting up soon to head to a Diner for breakfast. There was no work whatsoever in Nebraska and we had to move on. Places to go, demons to kill…that kind of thing. Honestly, I was in the mood for some good old demon killing. In this line of work you usually had to deal with a whole lot of incorporeal bullshit and it was starting to make me itch for a good throw down. I took a quick shower and waited till the guys woke up and got ready and then we headed to the Diner.

I tried falling asleep in the Impala, just trying to get some extra Z's. Anything I could get would be better than I had before. But of course, ironically, the road was bumpy as all hell. You ever run into potholes that shake your entire body and it feels like your brain stem is going to disconnect? That's what it felt like. It's not good for someone who has a massive headache and is trying to sleep. I groaned, finally giving up and sitting up from leaning on the car. Someone up there was _trying_ to kill me. Nothing would just give me a break. As if reading my mind, Dean and Sam exchanged glances and Dean looked back at me through the review mirror.

"You alright, baby?" Dean asked, his voice soft and worried.

I just shook my head. "Do I look alright to you?" I bit out.

Sam's eyebrows raised and Dean let out a slow breath between his lips, shaking his head. I knew that's what really pumped his fuel sometimes. He was trying to sweet and caring and I snapped at him.

I was surprised he kept his cool and didn't leave it at that. He must have been a bit more worried than I thought. "No, that's why I'm asking."

"I'm tired." It came out as a whine and I could literally feel Sam roll his eyes, to which Dean shoved him.

"Well didn't you get any sleep last night?" Sam asked, recovering from Dean.

I shook my head and lay down on the Impala interior. "I kept having nightmares."

Maybe it was from the lack of sleep, and little things tended to make me angry, but when the guys exchanged glances like that it really made pissed me off. Like I couldn't see them and tell what the hell they were thinking. You didn't need to be psychic for that one.

"Dear God." I muttered. "Don't look at each other like that. It wasn't a big deal; the nightmares weren't prophesized or set in stone. They were random, run of the mill, nightmares. Okay Fred and Daphne?"

They looked at each other again and let that gain their small attention spans for a moment. "I'm Fred right?" Dean turned momentarily to ask me. "Sam's the red headed woman?"

"Shut up." Sam said.

"I don't know Andy; if I'm Daphne you have some pretty naughty fantasies." That one made me smile and he knew it too. I turned my face into the leather of the car seat and shook my head; I could literally hear Dean's returning smile. I felt bad for snapping earlier, but he should have known how I worked by now. I should have been fine after some coffee and sleeping in the backseat for as long as I could to wherever we were going.

We pulled into the Diner parking lot and Dean parked the car. I love how both rounded on the same side of the car and opened the door for me. Like both wanted to observe and make sure I wasn't tripping over my own feet.

"I'm not crippled." I said, looking at them.

"Your sense of personality is." Dean said, making Sam smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up." I turned and headed to the front doors, waiting for an old couple to exit.

"And apparently, it's gone out with your sense of humor." Sam added.

I wonder how funny he'd think it would be when I smacked him upside the head. I resisted to turn around and do so and just headed straight into the diner, not bothering to hold the door for them.

"How many?" The lady with the menus asked me.

"Three, unfortunately."

She watched as Dean and Sam came up behind me and I could tell the woman was having a forty year old horny moment. I rolled my eyes as she led us to our table. I couldn't count how many times older people horned after these two. Okay fine, I was the first to admit that Sam and Dean were attractive and if I didn't know them and saw them someplace, I'd trip over my own two feet staring at them. But when you know them like I do and you see these old women horning after twenty some year olds, it kind of makes you a bit sick.

She smiled at Sam and Dean and handed them their menus as we sat down. She didn't give me one though and I realized she had only picked up two.

"Our special's today include the short stack and the buffet."

I rolled my eyes and nodded and watched her smile once again at them. Dean and Sam, of course were polite boys, and smiled back just as nicely.

"She didn't get me a menu."

Dean shifted closer to me so I could see his. "There's no seafood here, Andy."

I looked at him confused. "So?"

"So you can't be a crab."

Sam smirked and I went to kick him under the table. I managed to vibrate the table and kick him in the shin. He winced and bent below the table to feel the bump that was rising and glared at me.

Elvis's 'Hound Dog' started pouring from the old speakers in the Diner and I wondered how I knew almost all the lyrics. "Do you guys know that I didn't get a menu because that lady was horning after you?"

Sam choked on the water he had been drinking. "What?"

"You seriously didn't notice that?" I looked from Dean to Sam and they both kind of shrugged.

"Man, she was staring at your butts so intently I thought she'd burn a whole through your pants."

Dean cocked his head to look at me. "You know you're the only one who can do that to me."

I just rolled my eyes and Sam made a gagging noise. "Please, not so early in the morning okay? It's bad enough we have to deal with the Wicked Witch of the West over here."

"Careful…I'll turn you into a toad." I said warningly.

Sam just smiled at me as our waitress approached. "What will you have?" She asked as she took out her notepad and pen. She was a little over weight and looked about thirty. Her nametag said Beth and she wore small rimmed glasses that covered her beautiful green eyes. It was shame really; people with beautiful eyes should not have ugly glasses covering them up.

"Just coffee for me, thanks."

She smiled. "Well aren't you a burst of sunshine?" She said looking at me.

I groaned; unbelievable. Why was everyone on my freaking case this morning? Dean grinned at the lady. "That's what we keep telling her."

I just shook my head and listened to the guys orders. They basically always ordered the same thing. Sam short stack and Dean bacon and eggs. I felt my stomach lurch; I hated breakfast foods.

I resisted leaning my head against Dean's shoulder since I was being a bitch this morning but gravity was taking over and my head felt extremely heavy. I rested my head against him and he turned slightly, kissing my head.

"You okay?" He asked. I could tell all joking aside, he was worried about me.

I just shook my head no and turned my face into his shoulder. He moved that arm and brought it around me and I continued to lean into him; my face now resting against his neck. He rubbed my shoulder slowly and I wished I could have fallen asleep right there. I was close to, but the Beth returned with our coffees.

"There you go; your food will be out shortly."

"Thanks." Sam replied and she gave him a small smile and went to bustle other tables and check on our food.

"Hand me the sugar?" Dean asked me and I leaned up from him, the movement giving my headache a whole nother painful sway and handed it to him.

I ran a hand over my forehead and rested my head in my hand, my elbow propped up on the table. "Do we have a case or what?" I asked.

"Well, I've been scanning Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota. A woman in Iowa fell ten thousand feet from an airplane and survived." Sam said.

Dean looked at him oddly. "That sounds more like "That's incredible" than, uh, "Twilight Zone. Hey, you know, we could, uh—we could just keep it in the east. New York, upstate. We could stop by and see Sarah again, huh?" Dean smiled and so did I. It was a 'momentary for Sam' smile.

"You two seemed pretty friendly." I added and Dean nodded.

"What do you say?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah, maybe, someday. But in the meantime, we've got a lot of work to do, Dean, and you know that."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're right. What else you got?"

Sam cleared his throat, took a sip of coffee and ran through all the other things he could remember. "Uh, Manning, Colorado—a local man by the name of Daniel Elkins was found mauled in his home."

My face scrunched up. "Elkins? I know that name."

Sam shrugged. "Doesn't ring a bell."

Beth chose that moment to bring us our food and we thanked her. When she left I turned to Dean. "Do you have your dad's journal on you?"

He shook his head no and started digging into his food. "No, it's in the car." He caught the roll of my eyes and sighed. "It's not exactly a pocket Dictionary Andy, where the hell do you want me to put it?" I could think of a few places and he knew exactly what was thinking. "Watch it." He warned, pointing his fork at me.

"Let me out, I'll go get it."

Dean started to move out of his seat and handed me the keys. "Lock up the car."

I nodded, taking them. "Yeah, yeah."

"Don't talk to strangers with candy either." He said as I walked away. I could tell he turned to Sam as he sat back down and added, "Although with the mood she's in I can't see who would take her."

I went out to the car and unlocked the trunk, popping the hood. "Now if I was a journal in this black hole of a trunk…where would I be?" I asked as I looked about the trunk.

We really needed to clean this thing out. Weapons were strung about and I made sure no one was close enough to the trunk to see that. Clothes that had fallen out of our bags were tangled up, plus a lot of empty food containers were filling the back too. You'd never think with the way Dean talks about this car that he'd let it get this bad. I pulled the journal out from underneath our clothes bag and shut the trunk. The car wasn't looking its best. It was in serious need of a car wash. But when the hell did you have the time to sit through a car wash when you needed to hunt down potential demon spawn that ate your soul? Typical question right? That was the exact question Dean had asked me when I suggested we wash the clothes before we left instead of hauling them to our new motel dirty. Except I think he had said dog instead of soul. I rolled my eyes, heading back into the Diner with the journal. Whatever; I hadn't answered it anyway.

I started leafing through the pages as I approached the table. Dean got back up to let me in and I sat down, hitting my knee against the top of the table as I crossed my legs.

"Your coffee's cold." Dean said and I shrugged. "I ordered you another one."

I looked at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks."

"I was telling Dean that it sounded like the police don't know what to think. At first, they said it was some sort of bear attack, and now, they found signs of robbery." Sam said.

"Here." I said, looking through the address book. "Check it out." I handed the book to Sam and Dean watched him look at it.

"You think it's the same Elkins?" Sam asked me.

I shrugged. "It's a Colorado area code."

"Alright, looks like we'll be heading there next." Dean said, taking his last bite of egg.

I grimaced and shook my head as Beth brought a new coffee for me. "I put it into a 'to go' cup for you doll." She said sweetly and I tried smiling in thanks. But my head was pounding and I'm pretty sure it somehow looked very twisted.

"Congratulations Beth." Dean said, handing her the check. "You've managed to break the ice queen."

Beth seemed like she didn't know whether to laugh and go along with the joke or just take the check. So she smiled and nodded at Dean and when she left I shoved my thigh against him.

"Hey, watch it." Dean said eyeing me. "That's not going to get you anywhere near the back seat."

"Why didn't I grab the Advil when I was in the car?" I asked mostly to myself.

"Because you needed to come back here and bitch about something else?" Dean said coolly.

I smacked his chest. "You're not helping."

Dean made his way out of the booth and laid some money on the table for the tip. "Come on, let's hit the road."

Sam and I followed in suit and headed back to the car. I got the Advil from the sundries bag in the trunk and Sam let me have a sip of his water since my coffee was too hot. "Thanks."

Dean held the door open for me. "Now, how come you're being nice to him?"

I smiled slightly, pointing to Sam. "Because _he_ is a nice person."

"And I'm not?"

"You called me the ice queen to our waitress!"

"Is it my fault you're as cold as ice today? You'd think PMS-ing would make the anger more heated."

I _hated_ being the only girl. I smacked him on the chest. "First of all, that made _no_ sense whatsoever. Secondly, if I _was_ PMS-ing you'd know it!"

"Really? Because I'm having trouble deciphering one bitchy day from the other."

I groaned and almost pulled my hair out. "You are the only guy I know that can pull off PMS-ing! So don't go into the bitchy details with me, ass."

I could see Sam slowly get back out of the car and lean over the hood to watch us.

"You know I'm about this close from leaving you on the side of the road." Dean said getting close to my face.

"Go head, you can't get sex from Sam!"

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh god…" I heard him mutter.

"No, but I can get it from any bar I go to!"

"Do I need to separate you two? Seriously?" Sam interrupted before we could spill anything else disgusting.

"She started it." Dean muttered.

"I don't care, I'm finishing it." Sam said, looking between the both of us. "First of all, Andy's irritable, you know that. So why the hell would you start anything?" He asked Dean. "And Andy, fighting with him is like taking candy away from a four year old. Just don't do it."

I could see that. Comparing Dean to a four year old was like comparing a Poodle to a dog. It was real easy to see the resemblances.

"Sorry." I said quietly and got into the car. Dean nodded and got in the back with me as well, handing the keys to Sam.

Sam got into the driver's seat and turned on the car. My mix tape turned on and 'Name' by The Goo Goo Dolls started playing. Surprisingly no one said a word about it or changed the song. I looked to Dean as we drove out of the parking lot and the Diner was starting to look like a small speck in the review mirror.

He smiled hesitantly at me and I moved over and hugged him tightly around his waist, trying to tell him how tired I was and sorry that I had yet again snapped at him. He took this as a sign that I needed him and he wrapped his arms securely around me and kissed the back of my neck, sending shivers down my body. If I hadn't been so sleepy, and Dean wouldn't have been so comfortable, I would have equally done something to send shivers down his body as well.

But his breathing was pushing me slightly up and down on his chest and his hands were making soothing circles around my shoulders and back. I was asleep in a matter of minutes.

0o0o0o0

By the time we made it to the Elkin's residence it was night. I had only had one nightmare between the Diner and here and as I said before, it was nothing to cry over. I had this dream that I was making my bed in my old room but my mother was laying in it. So I ended up pulling the sheets over her; covering her up completely. It was kind of creepy though and woke me up nonetheless and Dean had to rock me to get to fall back asleep. Which I wasn't going to complain over, I loved when he did that.

We looked around the area as we got out of the car and I stretched and yawned as Dean and Sam grabbed weapons to put in their waistbands just in case. As I looked at the house, I felt like I had seen it somewhere before. Maybe my dad had known Elkins too and I had been brought here when I was little. Whatever the reason, I was getting a weird sense of déjà vu. But I could put my finger on what felt so familiar.

"What's the matter?" Dean asked me as they walked past to head to the front door.

"I don't know. Getting a weird vibe."

"Well you didn't eat anything all day."

I rolled my eyes, following him and Sam. I smacked his thigh as we stopped at the door. "I'm not _nauseas_, you idiot."

"Really, cause you're making me sick." Dean muttered.

"Will you two shut up?" Sam bit out, looking like he was about to slam both our heads together.

Dean cleared his throat and pulled his gun out of his pants, getting ready just in case something was waiting for them as Sam picked the lock of the front door. Although nothing was there and the door opened smoothly.

"Looks like the maid didn't come today." Dean observed.

Everything was turned over. If there was something that could have been knocked over, destroyed, strewn about or crushed, it was. Sam crouched down near the front door as he closed it and noticed something.

"Hey, there's salt over here—right inside the door."

I stayed close to Dean as everyone took in the surroundings looking for anything that could tell us what happened. Cue the damn Scooby Doo music. "You mean, like, protection-against-demons salt, or, uh, "Oops, I spilled the popcorn" salt?" He asked.

Sam shook his head. "It's clearly a ring. You think this guy, Elkins, was a player?"

I started looking around Elkin's desk and saw paper's on the floor, but then again there was paper everywhere. I went to pick up a few to look over them when something caught my eye. It was a postcard and it had the picture of the Grand Canyon on it. For a moment I thought it was a coincidence but then in my hands there was an article from a newspaper that talked about a dog getting hit by a truck on the highway. I dropped the papers, scattering them about. There was a photograph on Elkin's desk, a woman standing by a window. It looked old; she looked old. Old enough to be my grandmother. To top it all off there were cigars on the desk as well. One had been new, not even opened. But the other had been bit upon and lit recently. All these things had been in my nightmares. They were normal things that meant nothing, and yet I was seeing them here. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

"Definitely." Dean was saying. Sam walked over to Dean. He had found Elkin's journal on his desk while I was linking my nightmares to random objects.

"That looks a hell of a lot like Dad's."

"Yeah." Dean said, looking up to see where I was. "Except this dates back to the sixties…" He trailed off. "What is it Andy?"

I jerked my head to look at him. "What? Nothing."

Dean sighed and it sounded like he was saying 'here we go again'. I knew from my past experiences he was growing to hate the word nothing.

"My nightmares were random and all the stuff that was in it…is here. I dreamed about us at the Grand Canyon and a dog getting hit…" I picked up the things that pertained to my nightmares and handed it to them.

"A dog getting hit by a car?" Sam asked, looking at the article.

I rolled my eyes. "No, with my fist." I said sarcastically and he narrowed his eyes at the comment. I pointed to the photograph and the cigars. "My mom at a window and my dad lighting cigars. It can't be just random right?"

"Maybe your dreams weren't like this and you're just filling all this stuff in as you see it, ya know?" Dean asked. I shook my head no. No, I wasn't dreaming blank nightmares and just filling in the blanks with whatever object I found. This had to mean something.

"I don't think so." Sam said. Thank God for Sam. He was the only one that would understand about this nightmare thing. "I mean, I dreamed about people before stuff happened. It's not unlikely that Andy could dream of random objects and then see those things later. It's just a less powered nightmare/vision thing. Like mine."

Dean raised his eyebrows for a minute and took my hand as I rounded the desk. "I don't think that's supposed to be more comforting."

"Whatever attacked him, it looks like there was more than one." I said, changing the subject.

Dean was happy to be talking about something else. I could tell this whole nightmare thing I shared with Sam creeped him out. "Looks like he put up a hell of a fight, too."

We looked around the room a bit more and Dean came across a Colt box. It was empty now and under the box were several scratches on the floor. He examined them and Sam and I kneeled down to see what he was doing.

"You got somethin'?" I asked.

"I don't know, just some scratches in the floor."

Sam made a thinking face. "Death throes, maybe?"

Dean grabbed a piece of paper off the floor and motioned for me to get a pencil off the desk. I handed it to him and he moved the pencil back and forth over the paper, picking up what the etching said on the floor.

"Or maybe a message." He said standing. "Look familiar?" He asked us.

"Three letters, six digits—the location and combination of a post office box. It's a mail drop." Sam said.

Dean smiled slightly. "That's just the way Dad does it."

O0o0o0o0

So we headed to a Post Office. Dean turned the combination and the lockbox opened. He pulled out a letter which said something strange on the envelope. We waited until we all got back into the car to talk about it. Sam and Dean looked slightly shocked.

"J.W.—you think? John Winchester?" Sam asked and pointed at the envelope.

"I don't know. Should we open it?" Dean asked. Suddenly someone banged on the car window, making us all jump.

John Winchester was standing outside the car, looking in at his letter.

0o0o0o0o0o

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	46. Chapter 45: Dead Man's Blood Part 2

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0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 45: Dead Man's Blood Part 2

I think it took all of us a moment to comprehend what was actually going on when John got in the car. Dean was looking at Sam, who was looking at John, and they both looked shocked. I was looking at John himself and if the situation hadn't been serious I would have laughed at how nonchalant he was being about entering the car and sitting down like nothing had happened. Like Dean and Sam hadn't been upset about letting him go back when the Shadow demon tried to rip us all new ones.

Finally Sam spoke up. "Dad, what are you doing here? Are you all right?"

John shifted in the seat next to me and smiled when he caught my stare at him. I was still trying to figure out how he knew we had been here. Had he been following us all this time or had he just heard about Elkins dying and knew a letter was here for him?

"Yeah. I'm okay. Look, I read the news about Daniel. I got here as fast as I could. I saw you two up at his place."

"Why didn't you come in, Dad?" I winced as John's head snapped up.

"You know why—because I had to make sure you weren't followed, by anyone, or anything." Sam just nodded silently while Dean's nod was more grateful. "Nice job of covering your tracks, by the way."

"Well, we learn from the best." Dean said smiling.

"Wait, so, you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?" Sam asked.

John nodded sadly. "Yeah. He was….he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting."

"You never mentioned him to us." Sam added.

I felt like everything Sam said came with a warning label. John had been rubbed the wrong way when Sam asked why he hadn't joined us when we were snooping around Elkin's place; which was a legitimate question. I kept my mouth shut as the three of them went into detail about why John had had a falling out with Elkins. At these times I felt like I was back in my early teens. When my dad died I felt out of place with these three when talks about hunting or family came up. I just didn't know what to really say and even if I did, I didn't know when to jump in.

Suddenly John swore about something, drawing my attention back. "What is it?" I asked.

"When you searched the place, did you see a gun? An antique—a Colt revolver, did you see it?"

"Uh, there was an old case, but it was empty." Dean answered.

John just shook his head and crumbled Elkin's letter in his hands. "They have it."

"Have what? You mean, whatever killed Elkins?" I asked and John nodded, getting out of the car.

"We've got to pick up the trail."

He seemed to be speaking in circles because none of us were following what he was saying. Of course, just like this usually went, none of us said anything. Except Sam. He stuck his head out the Impala window and yelled to John. "Wait. You want us to come with you?"

"If Elkins was tellin' the truth, we've got to find this gun."

Sam looked confused. "The gun? Why?"

John sighed and Dean and I glanced at each other. He hated explaining things and that's what Sam didn't like. Jumping into thinks half cocked and not knowing the whole story. These two bashed heads without even knowing it half the time. "Because it's important, that's why."

"Dad, we don't even know what these things _are_ yet."

"They were what Daniel Elkins killed best—vampires." John said. Dean reminded me so much of John sometimes. The way they answered questions, it made you feel like they knew this important information and knew you didn't have a clue.

"Vampires?" I looked at Sam and Dean quixotically. "I thought there was no such thing."

"I thought they were extinct." I heard John's muffled voice. He came back towards the car and put his head near the open window. "I thought Elkins and others had wiped 'em out. I was wrong."

"Most vampire lore is crap. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust—that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive." John said and I sat up in between the boys to listen.

"They were once human right?" I asked. I hadn't meant to interrupt and I felt bad when everyone turned to look at my question.

But John didn't snap like I thought he would, he just smiled slightly and nodded. "That's right. So you won't know its one of them until it's too late."

I just nodded and sat back in my seat. Over the years I felt like John took it easy on me. Like when we ran laps, I ran less, I didn't have to study late hours and I didn't have many chores. Even though he didn't give me a lot to do I ended up helping Sam anyways so it kind of defeated the purpose. Couldn't determine if he just didn't give as much because I was a girl or because he felt bad for me when my father died. I didn't know, but he still treated me like that. If Sam or Dean would have interrupted he would have grilled them. I was sure of it.

"So what do we need to do? Go back to Elkins and track them?" Sam asked, clearing his throat.

John shook his head and pulled himself away from the window, straightening up to look left and right of the Impala. "Lay low until something comes up. I'll get my truck; follow you guys back to your motel. You have that police scanner still?"

Dean nodded. "Yes, sir. In the trunk."

"Should be next to you and on at all times." Was all John said and disappeared behind the Impala.

Dean just nodded and muttered a 'yes sir' at his lap. I squeezed his shoulder and he revved the Impala. This was going to be a long night.

O0o0o0o

John set up the scanner in the motel room and instructed us all to get some sleep while we could. Dean and I stared at each other a few minutes trying to figure out what to do. It was easier said then done. We could tell Sam was getting a kick out of our decision making because he kept snickering to himself and I ended up wailing a pillow at his face. Needless to say he shut up after that. The last time we had met up with John, well let's just say it wasn't a meet and greet kind of thing and Dean and I couldn't exactly crawl in the same bed and nuzzle up to one another without John raising an eyebrow or his voice. He hadn't asked any of us how we had been and what we had been up to. I was guessing it was because he hadn't expected us to be in relationships. Especially one of his sons with me. We didn't know how to tell him and I could tell Dean was terrified to see his reaction. On the one hand Dean didn't talk back to his father, ever. I guess he really left that up to Sam, since he was so good at it. But on the other, John couldn't have a fit without saying something about me, which Dean just wouldn't have. So it'd be interesting to see how this would go. Maybe we were just over reacting. He loved his sons and he loved me, what would be so bad about this?

I cleared my throat and looked at Dean, who shrugged. Luckily, John was fiddling around with the scanner so he wasn't watching us make fools out of ourselves. I motioned to John and then to myself.

Easier terms, _'Do you want me to do it?'_

Dean pursed his lips and pointed to himself. '_You think I can't do it?'_

I rolled my eyes and picked up a pillow, scrunching it in between my hands. I tossed him it and he caught it. _'I'll do it.'_

I crossed the bed and took his hand and approached John. At the last minute, when John looked up at us, Dean took over instead, surprising me.

"Uh, Dad…"

John took a seat at the kitchenette table. "Thought I said you two should be getting some sleep."

"We were heading right to it but um, there was something that we needed to tell you before we do." He answered. I was proud of him; his voice lacked the tone like he was following an order. He just sounded like Dean.

It seemed that he saw our hands knotted but wanted to hear what was going on from our mouths. "Well go head, spit it out." he said giving us a small comforting smile.

Suddenly, the police radio crackled with static and Dean sighed, looking at me tiredly as John's attention went straight to clearing the call. He squeezed my hand once before letting go; knowing that we wouldn't get a chance to tell him at that moment. It was time to go to work.

"Come on, wake Sam, let's go." I sighed, heading over to shake Sam as Dean put his button down back on. "Picked up a police call."

Poor Sam. He must have just fallen asleep. "What happened?" he asked groggily. I was going to drive so my guys could try and sleep. Or lean there heads for a while anyway.

"A couple called 911. They found a body in the street. Cops got there, everyone was missing. It's the vampires."

"How do you know?" I asked standing up and throwing Sam his jacket.

"Just follow me, okay?" John snapped, heading out the front door.

I just looked back at Dean and sighed. Congratulations Andy, you're no longer special, you've been snapped upon. Dean just rolled his head to the side and put an arm around my waist as we walked out of the room. "Vampires—gets funnier every time I hear it."

0o0o0o0o0

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him." Sam said, leaning up in his seat to look out the window. John was over by the cops, talking with them about what happened with the couple.

I turned off the Impala's engine and turned to look at Dean and Sam. I could tell Dean was starting to get a headache as he cocked his head to Sam. "Oh, don't tell me it's already starting."

"What's starting?" Sam asked confused but I knew he knew what Dean was talking about. A blind, deaf person would know what the hell Dean was referring to.

Thank God John approached the car and we all turned our attention to him. Otherwise, Sam and John weren't going to be the only two people bashing heads.

"What do you got?" Dean asked him, leaning close to me to see out the window.

"It was them, all right. Looks like they're headin' west. We're gonna have to double back to get around that detour."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked. Bash one.

"Sam—" Dean warned, sitting back in his seat. He closed his eyes for a moment as Sam yelled close to our heads.

"I just wanna know we're goin' in the right direction."

"We are. I found its teeth." John answered, pulling out a fang from his pocket. We looked at his hand, twirling the tooth. "Any more questions?" Bash two and Sam was silent. "All right, let's get out of here, we're losin' daylight."

He backed away from the car as I started it but then approached again. I rolled down the window and after what he said it made me wish I hadn't. "Hey, Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were gonna ruin it."

I could tell that had almost made Dean loose it. I didn't think John really had the right to make the comment. He wasn't around long enough to know how much Dean cared about this car. Dean was always hassling us to be careful driving it and to make sure we didn't get it scratched. Dean was damn near anal. The only reason it wasn't looking its best is because we had been preoccupied and hadn't had a chance to get it to a car wash. Which _was_ bothering Dean, he mentioned it to me the other day.

When Sam laughed at the comment I damn near wailed him. I leaned back and managed to hit him on his shoulder making him hiss slightly in pain.

"Its okay, Andy." Dean said softly, turning to look out the window. "Just drive."

I shook my head, pulling the car to follow John. If Dean didn't stick up for his car it made me feel a little warily that he'd stick up for me if the situation called for it.

O0o0o0o

"Andy!" Dean yelled.

I jolted awake, looking wildly around. "What? What happened?"

"You fell asleep again." Dean said moving closer to the steering wheel, like I'd pass out and he'd need to take over. "We need to pull over. You do that again and my car is totaled, not to mention us. _We'll_ be totaled against a damn tree."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I'm sorry."

"Pull over, come on before my dad notices we're too far behind."

"Yeah, seeing as how he won't stop and we don't know where we're going."

I sent a glare back to Sam and pulled the car over. We all quickly changed seats and Dean revved the car, making it go as fast as it needed to go to catch up with John.

"Sorry." I said letting out a huge yawn.

Dean just smiled at me and shook his head, motioning for me to come lean on him. "It's okay, get some sleep." He kissed my head as I snuggled up next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten. Smaller packs are sent out to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest, where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks. I wonder if that's what happened to that 911 couple." Sam said from the backseat. He must have been doing research during all my sleep tests.

"That's probably what Dad's thinking." Dean said and shifted in his seat.

"Of course, it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks." Sam grumbled.

"Oh my god, can I hit him again?" I asked Dean and he shushed me.

"So, it _is_ starting." Dean groaned angrily. "Sam, we've been lookin' for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple of hours, and there's static already?"

"No." It'd be so much easier if Sam would just stop denying it all the time. "Look, I'm happy he's okay, all right? And I'm happy that we're all workin' together again. It's just the way he treats us like we're children."

"Oh, God." Dean said, turning the car at the light.

"Don't 'Oh God' me Dean. He barks orders at us, he expects us to follow him without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal. And Andy knows I'm right too."

I shook my head, burying my face in Dean's shoulder. "Please, don't bring me into this."

Why the hell did these two need to add me to their sentences when they started to fight? _Andy_ knows this or _Andy_ knows that or _Andy_ believes me because. Like bringing me up and putting me on their side like that would naturally prove they were right. I rolled my eyes, pushing my head against Dean and he rubbed my leg comfortingly. It was funny how he naturally did that; I felt like I should have been comforting him somehow.

"He does what he does for a reason." Dean said stiffly. He needed to believe that first before trying to make Sam believe it.

"What reason?" Sam called bullshit.

"Our job!" Dean yelled, making his voice vibrate off the walls. "There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, all right, it's just the way the old man runs—"

"Yeah, well, maybe that worked when we were kids, but not anymore, all right?" Sam interrupted Dean's rant. "Not after everything you and I have been through, Dean."

"Will you two knock it off? Please? This is how it goes alright? It's always been this way, it's time for you to grow up, shut up and just follow in line. Both of you."

Dean was silent and Sam scoffed angrily. "Oh, how the tables have turned. You know the situation would be different Andy if he was bringing up something about your father."

I snapped my head in his direction. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Sam yelled. "The only reason you can say just follow in line is because John isn't making you angry. He isn't pissing you off by forcing you to follow orders or aggravating you about the Impala, but I bet you if he mentioned something about your father you'd be just as angry as I am. Asking the same questions like I am." I just looked at him until angry tears threatened to fall down my face and leaned my head back onto Dean again. "Just like you used to." He muttered.

That did it. The tears breached my eyelids and fell onto Dean's jeans, seeping into the fabric. Dean leaned his head on mine, shushing me quietly. He rubbed a comforting hand on my thigh and kissed my head again. I tried to get him to stop; I didn't want Sam to know he hit a nerve. Especially since I knew he was right. I just wanted to keep the peace. I knew Dean was just as upset as Sam was but trying to keep his cool. But Sam wasn't like that, obviously, and I wasn't either. He was right, if John brought up something that upset me everyone would know.

He hadn't done that yet. And I had a nagging feeling everything happened in its own time. I hoped for Dean's sake I would be able keep my cool.

O0o0o0o0

After a few more games of musical chairs and under your breath snipes Dean got a call from John, which at this point in time probably wasn't a good thing. The tension was so thick in this car you could choke on it.

"Pull off at the next exit." Dean motioned Sam as he put the cell back in his pocket.

"Why?"

"Because Dad thinks we've got the vampires' trail."

Sam's voice was more forced now then before. He was trying not to get angry but it was too evident to hide. "How?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know, he didn't say."

Sam shook his head and suddenly stepped on the gas forcefully, speeding down the road. I sat up and looked from Dean to Sam. This was _so_ not good. He cut in front of John's truck and pulled the Impala to a screeching stop. John stopped as well, trying to avoid the Impala and all of us got out of the car.

"Oh, crap. Here we go…" Dean muttered. "Sam!"

"What the hell was that?" John bellowed.

"We need to talk about everything. Where we goin', Dad? What's the big deal about this gun?"

"Sammy, come on, we can Q and A after we kill all the vampires." Dean tried. We'd been trying to stay back and let them just have it out.

"Your brother's right, we don't have time for this."

"Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous to be together. Now, out of the blue, you need our help. Now, obviously, something big is goin' down, and we wanna know what!"

I winced at the statement and Dean backed up again like his previous sentence was just erased by Sam's.

"Get back in the car." John warned and Dean and I braced ourselves for fists to fly.

"No."

John walked towards Sam, getting too close to his face. "I said get back in the damn car."

"Yeah. And I said no."

"All right, you made your point, tough guy. Look, we're all tired. We can talk about this later." Dean pushed himself in the middle of them and pushed Sam back towards the car. "Sammy, I mean it, come on." He added quietly.

Sam followed Dean's push but couldn't leave out something underneath his breath. "This is why I left in the first place."

"Yeah." John screamed, making Sam turn back around. "_You_ left. Your brother, Andy and me, we needed you. _You _walked away, Sam, _you _walked away!" He grabbed Sam by the shirt.

"Stop it, both of you!" I cried.

"You were the one who said "Don't come back", Dad." Sam was so loud you could probably hear him in Kansas. I was thankful the road we were on wasn't filled with cars; someone would have definitely called the cops on us. I moved to the back of Sam and started shifting in place, not knowing what to do or who to help. "You're the one who closed that door, not me! You were just pissed off you couldn't control me anymore!"

That was it for John and he pushed Sam, hard. It didn't do much to Sam, just knocked him of balance, but he landed hard against me and it was enough to knock me on my ass.

"That's enough!" Dean yelled and then turned at his father. "That means you, too."

They both seemed to stop after they realized Sam had knocked me over. I winced as Dean tried to pull me up off the muddy ground.

"You okay?" He asked me.

I nodded, feeling my elbow. I had landed on it pretty bad and was having trouble moving it but it didn't feel important enough to bring up.

Sam kept looking at me as we all stood there. Like for the first time in his life he didn't know how to apologize. I just shook my head at him, trying to tell him I didn't need one. John turned, getting back in his car. Sam did the same and it left me and Dean standing in-between the two cars.

"Terrific." Dean muttered.

0o0o0o0o0o

review? :D


	47. Chapter 46: Dead Man's Blood Part 3

does everyone seem in charecter? just a thought. :D

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 46: Dead Man's Blood Part 3

The car was deathly silent on the way to the vampire's lair. It was so quiet that when Sam dropped a book in the back seat it made us all jump.

"Sorry." Sam muttered.

It seemed that was all Dean was looking for. We'd all been quiet since we got in the car and honestly the silence was starting to make my ears hurt. I tried reaching for the radio a few times but then decided against it. Dean looked like he had a headache and I really didn't want to be the one who agitated him; even though I wasn't the one he was mad at.

"Sam, you ever pull that crap again, I swear to God you're gonna regret it."

"I didn't mean to knock her over." Sam said tiredly; like this conversation was worn even though this was the first time we were having it.

"That's not what I meant but yeah, that tipped the pissed off scale."

Sam was lucky we weren't out of the car because I'm pretty sure Dean would have hit him off that principle alone. He sounded angry enough to hit him.

"I'm right here, ya know." I said and shifted my elbow off my lap and set it against the car door. "And it's okay, it was an accident." I really didn't want these two mad at each other. It was bad enough it was Sam against John. It didn't need to be everyone against Sam. "Everyone okay?" I looked between the both of them and they nodded slightly, treading on being alright with one another.

"How's your elbow?" Dean asked quietly, turning into a wooded area as he followed John.

I moved my elbow back and forth and winced as it made an unearthly cracking noise. "Hurts if I bend it a certain way."

Dean cocked his head to the side for a moment and smiled. "It only bends one way Andy."

I just chuckled out of tiredness, because the joke sucked, and shoved him with my other arm. I could see Sam smiling through the rearview mirror and was glad he was lightening up.

"How are you?" I asked Dean and he shrugged.

"I'm okay seeing as how I didn't get knocked on my ass."

That was a shot on my coordination and I glared playfully at him. "Wanna get out of the car and see what happens?"

Dean smirked and shook his head as we pulled the car next to Johns, who was already out of his car. He was crouched down in the trees and bushes to look at what seemed like a big wooded barn. We all got out of the car and went to kneel down where John was. He was intently watching the barn door, waiting for any sign of movement. It was nearing daylight and I figured we'd make our move when the bastards were asleep.

"I'm sorry about your elbow." Sam whispered as Dean made his way to get close to his dad. Sam and I kept our distance but were still close enough to hear them if they said anything.

I shrugged. "It's not your fault. He knocked you off balance." After a few moments of silence I glanced at Dean and John and then at myself and Sam. Jesus…it was just like the old days. We were on a hunt, and I was trying to distance Sam from his father so fights wouldn't brake out. I should have known better before hand, I could have prevented the other one. But Sam had gotten me _so_ heated with what he had said.

"Will you two be quiet?" John demanded, shooting daggers at us.

I cleared my throat and looked at Dean. He looked at me sympathetically and shrugged. He was right, what could he really do? Vampires had perfect hearing and perfect sight; John was right we shouldn't have been talking. But something in me, which made me feel like I was seventeen again, didn't really give a shit. I touched Sam's forearm, making him look at me and I motioned him to lean in to listen. He did so and put his ear close to my face.

"You were right, about what you said before. About me. John hadn't made me angry and I understand why you were upset."

Sam nodded. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I know better, ya know? I'm not eighteen anymore."

"You can't fight who you are Sam. You and your dad naturally buck heads. Every family has one, but they still love each other."

He pulled back and smiled at me, squeezing my hand. Damn, we _were_ nineteen again and I could Dean's eyes on me and the holding of hands between me and Sam. I looked back and let his hand go and I swore Dean's eyes were green with jealousy or red with anger. Something of that form and it made me want to kiss him and roll my eyes all at once.

Suddenly the barn door opened wide and someone who looked like he lived in a bar stood outside and looked around a moment. He was tall and had long shaggy black hair, it kind of resembled Sam's except his was wavier. He went back inside after a few moments and Dean swore.

"Son of a bitch. So, they're really not afraid of the sun?"

"No, direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn." John said turning to head back up to his car, the three of us following. "The only way to kill them is by beheading."

"So I guess walking right in's not our best option." Dean guessed.

"Actually, that's the plan." John said smiling.

Dean popped open the trunk of the Impala and handed Sam one of the machetes. I waited for him to hand me one also, but he didn't.

"Dude." I said agitated.

Dean turned and looked at me angrily, which surprised me. Was he serious? He couldn't have been upset about the squeezing of Sam's hand. Right? He shoved a the knife into my hands and turned back to the car. Unbelievable.

"So….you guys really wanna know about this Colt?" We all looked at each other somewhat surprised and then turned to John.

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir."

John sighed and nodded. I felt like all of us were kids again. Sitting on one of the motel beds listening to John and my dad telling us stories of goblins and ghouls. We all thought it had been make-believe. I wish we still had that immunity.

"It's just a story—a legend, really. Back in 1835, Samuel Colt made a gun—a special gun. He made it for a hunter. The story goes he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. Somehow, Daniel got his hands on it. They say—they say this gun can kill anything."

"Kill anything, like, supernatural anything?" I asked. There was only one reason that the Winchesters would want this gun.

"Like the demon." Sam said.

"Yeah, the demon. Ever since I picked up its trail, I've been lookin' for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun….we may have it."

I looked to Dean and motioned that I needed to talk to him and he just shook his head. He made this irritated look that said 'later' and I pulled him to the side, despite the fit he was starting to have.

"We should tell John about my dad. Maybe he'll know something."

"Maybe you should ask Sam to do it with you." Dean snapped.

Sam turned slightly at him name and I just pulled Dean in front of me to block out his face. "What's the matter with you?" I asked him.

"Nothing."

"Right, because irritability really suits you."

He wasn't jealous. He was angry and I couldn't figure out why. I could feel tears beginning to make their way to my eyelids and holding them back was making my throat hurt.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked, drawing out every word, trying to get him to tell me what the hell I did to deserve the anger.

"I finally get Sam under some control and you have to start this whole side thing?" Dean asked me, accusatory tones lacing his words.

"Sides?" I asked, my voice faltering. I knew what he meant and then I didn't.

"You and Sam, me and my dad. It's not going to happen Andy. Alright? We're not kids anymore."

"I never…I didn't mean…he was apologizing.." I said softly. The whole sides' thing had been on my mind when we were down in the woods looking at the barn but I never meant for the whole dramatic pick a side thing to start up. I didn't want to choose between my boyfriend and my best friend. Nothing good would ever come out of that. "I wasn't making sides, I wouldn't do that to you." I said walking past Dean. "We doing this or what?" I asked Sam and John, gripping the machete in my right hand. I was really looking foreword to killing some vampires.

0o0o0o0o

We snuck in slowly through the window, closing it behind us. While John went into another room, Sam, Dean and I looked around the one we were in. There were many vampires sleeping in hammocks and there were bottles littering the floor. Damn boozers. On the far side of the barn there was a woman tied to a post and I motioned for Sam and Dean to look in that direction and check it out. Sam began untying the ropes while Dean was his lookout.

"There's more." I whispered, telling Dean to turn around.

There was a cage like door behind him and through the bars there were several more men and women tied up. The door was padlocked and he grabbed a crowbar off the floor, hitting the lock once. He hesitantly turned around seeing if anyone was waking up. When no one moved he did it again.

Sam continued to untie the woman's ropes and she began to wake up. I turned and looked at all the sleeping vampires, clutching the machete in my hand.

Sam was whispering to the woman, telling her it was okay. Suddenly the woman let out a ghastly scream, making me jerk my head in Sam's direction. Sam jumped up and backed away from her, looking from me to Dean.

"Andy!" Dean screamed, and I turned around just as a vampire made a move to kick me square in the chest. Damn thing was strong too; it ended up slamming me against the cage Dean had been working to get open.

"Guys, run!" John said running out of the other room. Both guys came up behind me grabbing one of my arms to pull me up. We ran despite the pressure that felt like an anvil on my chest. We were closely followed by vamps but none of them followed us out into the woods.

"They won't follow. They'll wait 'til tonight." John said, meeting us back at the cars. "You alright?" he asked me as I gripped my side.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I managed.

"He knocked you pretty hard Andy." Dean said worried.

I shook him off and glared at him. "I said I was fine." I snapped.

Sam noticed the snapping at the end of my sentence and pulled on my arm. "Let's get you to the car." Sam said, hoping to end the fighting before it started.

"What the hell do we do now?" Dean asked. His voice was obviously aggravated by how I had talked to him.

"You got to find the nearest funeral home, that's what." John said and Sam and Dean exchanged a confused look as Sam put me in the back of the Impala.

O0o0o0o0o

Did vampires have superhuman strength? If they didn't my aching chest and ribs said differently. As soon as Sam helped me onto the bed and got me situated, that was when I needed the bathroom. Of course, this whole day was turning out to be ironic. Why shouldn't this be too? Sam and John had gone to a funeral home and Dean had stayed. We hadn't said anything to each other, except for the typical moan that escaped my lips when I shifted the wrong way. He was watching TV on the other bed, his legs comfortably crossed on the comforter. He was leaning back against the dashboard and the muscles in his neck flared as he tried to get comfy.

It was now or never. I shifted on the bed, trying to sit up in a way that wouldn't irritate the hell out of my chest. I managed to sit up and push my legs off the bed. I pushed myself up off the bed and felt my ribs, which were pissed at me that I was moving. I was determined to do this without Dean's help, which was good seeing as how I didn't hear him move to help me.

Although as I turned to head around the bed, Dean was standing there, putting an arm around my waist. "You shouldn't be up walking around." He said quietly.

I didn't want to fight it. I put my arm around his waist as well and walked towards the bathroom. "Can't help it."

"You need anything?" His voice was soft and I could tell he felt bad about before.

I shook my head no and offered him a small smile. "No, I'm okay. Thanks."

He nodded his head once and closed the door after me. It was ironically amusing how easily Dean and I could get into a fight and then fix it a half an hour later with one small touch and smile. I couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.

I came out a few minutes later, Dean sitting near the door to see if I needed anymore help getting back to bed. I rubbed my ribs and Dean got up to make his way to the fridge.

He was quiet, which kind of surprised me. I guessed he was waiting for me to say something since I was the one who had snapped at him earlier.

I sat on the bed as Dean came over with some ice. He rolled it up in a dish towel and pressed it gently against my ribs. "Sorry." He said as I winced. I was wondering how many things he was apologizing for.

"Those vamps can hit like a Mack truck." I grumbled.

Dean smirked. "Why are you always getting knocked on your ass huh?"

"Shut up." I tried laughing but it just made my ribs hurt. "Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't fracture them. But according to Dr. Sam, they're just bruised."

By the mention of Sam I could feel Dean tense up against me. "I'm sorry about before. I should know not to go conclusion jumping."

I shrugged. "Wasn't your fault. I made it look like you said. Just take it easy on Sam alright? He has enough trouble butting heads with your dad, he doesn't have to do it with you too."

Dean nodded and hesitantly made his way closer to me. He leaned his head in and brushed his forehead against mine. He rested his head there and nuzzled against my face, kissing my cheek. I loved him when he was like this. Not that I didn't like him the other, more animalistic kind of way, I just loved the sweet touches and kisses. It was when he was like this I knew he really loved me.

I tilted my body towards his, resting against him. I kissed every part of him my mouth touched. His head, his neck and then his jaw line. His cheek and then his mouth. The kissing went on for minutes, but it felt like hours. The touches and kisses felt different this time. Everything was soft and warm. Not hot, wet and unbearably passionate. It didn't bother me; I liked different and Dean always had me guessing. He cupped my cheek with his hand and his thumb stroked my face as his fingers played with the chain holding the coin around my neck. Just as the kiss ended the door opened and Sam and John walked in, eyeing us.

Looked like we wouldn't be telling John later.

0o0o0o0o

I pulled away from Dean slightly, irritating my ribs. Dean looked away from the door when I cringed and pushed the ice against my skin. He wasn't doing too hard that it hurt, just enough to numb the aching.

"Well uh, Sam and I picked up some blood." John said taking out the jar to set it on the table.

"You wouldn't believe the heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys." Sam said trying to relieve the tension. But the harder he tried, the more settled down on the room. It was like quicksand.

"Dad, Andy and I are dating." Dean said it so fast it looked like John's head was spinning.

Sam looked between the both of us and then at John, who didn't look like he had an answer for Dean. But then he cleared his throat. "Well obviously." He said it so nonchalant. It surprised me and I wondered if he was angry or something.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Dean asked.

"Well what do you want me to say?" John retorted.

Dean scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, I guess I just expected something different."

"It doesn't get in the way of our job." I said quietly, thinking that was the only thing John was worried about.

"Good, because we have work to do. You all remember the plan?" he asked.

Sam just shook his head and I squeezed Dean's hand. He turned to look at me and I could tell there was a mix of emotions behind his eyes. I couldn't understand why he didn't just tell his father how he felt for once. "You going to alright enough to come and help?"

I nodded. "Just dose me with painkillers. Pretty sure I saw where Sam hid the Oxycotton."

Dean smiled slowly and squeezed my hand, thankful for the comic relief. He stood up and headed to the bathroom for the pills. When he handed me them he left a long kiss on my head. And I think he knew John was quietly watching us.

I guess it was the only way he could tell John he wasn't going anywhere, no matter what he thought.

O0o0o0o0o

We all positioned ourselves in the woods except for Dean, who was on the road with his car. He kept bitching the entire way over about how he didn't understand why he had to be bait. Of course then I volunteered, had a fit and said he'd do it. I rolled my eyes. Men; weren't satisfied unless they were bitching about something.

We stood near the road, but far enough away that no one would see us. Dean popped the hood open and looked inside, pretending to look for a problem.

"Car trouble?" The female vampire asked. "Let me give you a lift. I'll take you back to my place."

My hands turned into fists at my side and I almost jumped out from the damn bushes, wailing my machete. Sam chuckled and I realized how obvious I must have been. I shrugged and blushed at him.

"You two are so much alike it's ridiculous." He said quietly and I shrugged again, looking back at the road to catch Dean's retort.

"Nah, I'll pass. I usually draw the line at necrophilia." Dean said smiling.

Suddenly the woman chuckled and then wailed back her arm and punched Dean across the face, causing him to fall to the ground. She then lifted him off the ground by his cheeks and pulled him close to her face. Sam put a hand on my forearm, knowing I'd been calm up till now but that I might do something stupid.

"You know, we could have some fun." She said lustfully. "I always like to make new friends."

Suddenly she kissed him and Dean couldn't do a damn thing about it, she had a vise grip on his face. He was motionless during the entire thing, it didn't even seem like he was breathing. It seemed like hours but the kiss finally ended and Dean spit out blood from his punch as soon as her lips left his.

"Sorry, got a real testy girlfriend. And something tells me she's not gonna be too happy about what you just did."

"No, she's not." I muttered and shot a blood dipped arrow straight through her chest.

She looked at Dean surprised and sunk to her knees. Dean shrugged and smiled, feeling his lip. "Told ya."

"Barely even stings." She spat as Sam, John and I came out of the wooded area.

"Give it time, sweetheart." John said. "That arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like poison to you, isn't it?" Her smiled faded and suddenly her eyes started to glaze over. She finally collapsed against the street and I approached Dean. "Load her up." John motioned Sam and he nodded, picking her up.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Bitch split my lip." Dean spat blood again and felt around the cut with his tongue. "Also, remind me never to piss you off. Nice aim."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "And don't you forget it. Bright side? At least she didn't bite you."

"Do I need to remind you that _you_ are the only one that holds that job?" He said grinning and wrapping an arm around my waist, being careful of my ribs.

"I don't mean to interrupt the warm and fuzzies but can you please do your damn job?" John yelled.

Sam winced at us sympathetically as we pulled away from each other and nodded at John. Dean cleared his throat. "Yes, sir."

I headed into the clearing with them and mentally kicked myself. Why the hell weren't we thinking clearly? I had just told John that our relationship didn't disrupt our job and we go pull something like that. He was already upset with the situation, obviously, and we just made it worse.

"Toss this on the fire." John said throwing something at Dean. He nodded as Sam started the fire. I sat back and watched as John tied the vampire to a tree and Dean threw the mess of stuff onto the fire. "Saffron, skunks, cabbage, and trillium—it'll block our scent and hers until we're ready."

Dean grimaced. "Stuff stinks."

John shrugged. "Well, that's the idea. Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you'll stand a chance of not being detected."

"You sure they'll come after her?" I asked looking at the vamp.

"Yeah. Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is gonna wear off soon."

"I can shoot an arrow through her again." I said casually and Dean smirked.

"I want you guys out of the area as fast as you can."

All of us looked at John. We most definitely heard him wrong.

"Dad, you can't take care of them all yourself." Dean said, standing up from the fire.

"I'll have her and the Colt."

"This is bullshit." I muttered.

"Watch your mouth young lady." John said angrily.

I shook my head and bit my tongue on the comment 'you're not my father'. He was Dean and Sam's father. I could not say anything to him that wouldn't somehow insult or anger Sam and Dean. So I kept my mouth shut.

"But after—we're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun _together_, right?" Sam asked, emphasizing 'together'. Why did John always have to be the loner when he had people who cared about him, wanting to help? "You're leaving again, aren't you? You still want to go after the demon alone?"

Dean looked at John shocked and I couldn't believe after all this John still wanted to do this. "You can't treat us like this." Sam said fumed.

"Like what?"

"Like children." Sam stood away from the fire too and I could see Dean tense.

"You _are_ my children."

"I'm not." I said stubbornly. I let it slip and I felt bad the moment I said it.

"Watch it, Andy. I may not be your father, but I took you in and I'll be damned if I let you speak to me that way." John threatened and Dean shifted on his feet, not knowing what to say or do.

I let out a slow breath and Dean stepped in front of me. "Don't talk to her like that around me." Dean said to his father.

Sam and I looked at Dean surprised and John just looked plain shocked.

"Excuse me?" John asked. I was about to tell Dean that it was okay; to just let it go. I'm the one who couldn't keep my mouth shut.

"I said don't talk to her like that. She's my girlfriend and deserves a little respect. And for this running away every time you think we can't handle things…You know what all of us have been huntin'. Hell, you sent us on a few huntin' trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe."

"It's not the same thing, Dean." John said quietly.

"Then what is it?"

"This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."

Dean laughed but it was humorless. "You mean you can't be as reckless."

"Look….I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death—it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die, too. I won't."

I looked at John sadly. I remembered my father saying something similar to me when I was younger and wanted to go out on hunts. "Sammy's right about this one. I think we should do this together." Dean said and Sam nodded. "We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it."

John looked at all of us. "We're running out of time. You do your job, and you get out of the area. That's an order." And with that he walked in the other direction.

I looked at Sam and Dean and swore; what else could we do?

O0o0o0o

"Screw that, right? We're going after him?" I said, pep talking these two. I moved in front of Dean and Sam. I put my hand up in a high five motion. "Right?"

Dean looked at Sam and shrugged, smiling slowly. He nodded, bringing his hand up to lace fingers with mine. "Right."

Sam grinned after us as we headed to Vampire's Nest. A vamp was standing outside, drinking a beer and I moved aside so Dean could sneak up behind him with the machete.

"Boo." Was all Dean said and beheaded the vamp.

We snuck into the barn and headed over to the cage where the people were still being held. We let them out and tried to get them to run, even though they looked like they'd been fed upon. We pushed them up and out.

"Come on!" Dean said encouragingly.

We ran from there, heading deep into the woods, trying to find the clearing. John's truck wasn't too far from there. We just couldn't find the damn road. Suddenly we heard something slamming into metal and I prayed to God it wasn't John.

"Andy!" Dean yelled, pointing to the vampire coming towards us. I shot him through the chest, sending him sprawling. Dean took the head off not moments later.

We made it to the road, hitting vampires left and right. The vampire that had been in front of the barn before lashed out in anger and hit Sam across the face. He fell to the ground and before Dean and I could do anything he picked him up by the neck, choking him. Dean and I froze.

"Don't move!" he threatened. "I'll break his neck. Put the blades down."

Dean was completely still, holding the knife in midair. Sam was desperately gasping for breath and I shook my head, dropping my machete. When Dean heard the clank of metal hitting concrete he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and dropped his own; swearing.

"You people—" The vampire seethed. "Why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so." John said from behind us. Dean suddenly grabbed me and pulled me towards him and out of the way as a shot rang out. The vampire let go of Sam and he got up and ran to us. The shot's echo sounded like thunder and the vampire looked stunned. He suddenly dropped to his knees as blood pooled the shot on his forehead and ran down his face. I looked at John, who had the smoking Colt in his hands. There was a flash of radiance that made me feel like a thunder storm was starting and the light went out in the vampire's eyes as he collapsed.

The other vampires fled, pissed their leader had been killed but could do nothing about it because John had the Colt.

Sam and Dean turned to look at their father, utter shock lighting their faces. I just smiled at John's triumphant grin. I wasn't surprised. Like father, like sons.

O0o0o0o0o

"So you ready for bed?" Dean asked me, pulling back the sheets on the bed.

I glanced at Sam and John, who were fooling around at the kitchen table. "Glad those two are smiling." I said, fluffing one of the pillows. "Are you guys heading out?" I asked, seeing Sam had the car keys.

"We were going to pick stuff up at the Mart down the road."

I looked down at my pajamas. "Well, Dean, I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion."

Dean reached across the bed and pulled me to him, settling me in under the covers. "That's because you are getting some rest." He kissed my forehead and I pulled on his wrist before he could make a run for it.

"What's the face for?" He asked.

"I feel like I'm four or something."

Dean sighed and sat next to me on the bed. "You need sleep. You haven't had a full night these past few days."

I shrugged. "Well neither have you, and you're doing alright."

Dean chuckled. "I'm running on autopilot here, baby. I promise, as soon as I get back I'll go to sleep, okay?"

I nodded. "So no bar fights or wild sex?" I smiled.

Dean pouted and I realized how much his lower lip stuck out when he did that. It suddenly drove me crazy as he leaned down to kiss me and I captured it in between my lips for a moment. He smiled, kissing me. "How bout we decide about the wild sex when I get back?" he asked suggestively, raising his eyebrows.

"Better get back quickly, or I'll start without you."

Dean let out a low growl, just low enough that only I could hear it. "Don't tease me." He whispered in my ear and then pulled back to kiss my head. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

I nodded and as he got up and I instantly missed his weight on the bed. As Dean approached the table to haul the guys out of the room, John squeezed his shoulder on the way out. Dean looked at him a moment and John just smiled; almost knowingly. Dean smiled a slow smile, looking at me then at the ground.

"Come on, I hear that strip club down the street has some great deals…"

I threw a notepad at him, but it missed and hit the wall. I could hear him laugh all the way out the door. John smiled at me as well on the way out and closed the door.

I'm glad everyone was getting along. Although as I shut off the nightstand light, something told me that's when things tended to go wrong.

O0o0o0o0o0

_Black was covering the figure. And suddenly I was trying to run as fast and hard as I could. I kept tripping over my own feet and my blood felt like it was boiling. Finally, I collapsed, my breath coming through my chest as ragged pants. I could feel someone approach me and the smell of smoke filled the air. My father. It was my father. I could feel blood leak from my forehead as it fell onto my protective pendant._

_He just shook his head and ran a hand through my hair. "It could have been easier." _

I jolted up in bed, looking around the pitch darkness. Fear seized me and it felt like I was choking. I searched for the bedside lamp, finally finding it and turning it on. When I found no one in the room, my heart rate died down but panic was still finding its way to make my body shake and throb. I ran my hands over my face and grabbed my cell phone from the bedside. I threw the covers off me and went into the bathroom with my phone, closing the door. I splashed some water on my face and sat on the closed toilet. I called Dean and twisted the end of my shirt in my fingers, trying to not let every little noise I heard scare the living crap out of me.

It rang twice before he answered. "Hello?"

I was a bit comforted by his voice. "Hey." I said attentively.

He noticed something wasn't right and turned down the music in the car. "You okay? You don't sound like yourself."

"Yeah…" I just shook my head and sighed. God what was wrong with me? One nightmare and I'm head over tin cups into paranoia. I could literally see Dean's face if I told him I was this scared to hell from a nightmare. So I shook off my urge to tell him. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing. How far away are you?" Didn't mean I didn't like being all alone when there were millions of Trailer Joes out there.

"From the motel? I don't know, about twenty minutes."

I nodded and continued to look at my hands twirling the end of my shirt. "Okay, so I'll see you in a few?"

"Yeah, we're done at the mart. We were gonna find a Beer Outlet though. For some reason that mini mart didn't stock up on Miller." He chuckled at his own joke and I heard Sam say something about turning left. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked again from not hearing an answer. I was over exaggerating about this dream thing, I had to be. He probably thought I was being held captive or something from the way I was acting. He knew to listen for Funky Town if that ever happened. No, I was fine. _Fine_. "Cause we can skip the beer, its called going to a bar tomorrow."

I smiled, chuckling slightly. "No, no, it's okay." I tried to think of a reason I could tell him. "I just, I heard a noise outside and got a little freaked, that's all."

He didn't make a joke about how jumpy I was, like I thought he would, which I was thankful for. "Alright, I'll see you in a few."

"Okay." I said quietly. "Bye."

"Bye babe."

I shut my cell and held it tightly in my palm. That nightmare, for one reason or another, had freaked me out more than my previous ones. Yes, freaked me out past the burns and the stabbing through my damn abdomen. I ran hand through my hair and put my cell on the sink. I figured I might as well get a bath, seeing as how there was no way in hell I was trying to go back to sleep.

Suddenly, I heard the floor creak behind me and my breath caught in my throat. I looked in the mirror on the sink. There was no one behind me. I just shook my head. It was my own feet that had made that noise. _I_ had made the floor creak. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and turned towards the shower to pull back the curtain.

As soon as I did the black robed figure was standing there; _in the tub._ I backed up from him, tripping over the carpet. I landed hard on the ground, scrabbling to get up and away. I could feel blood dripping from my forehead from my fall. I tripped backwards but somehow managed to twist and fall forewords. My head hit off the side of the sink and I was starting to feel woozy as I tried to get to my feet. The door wasn't opening. Was I turning it the wrong way? The blood was warm and soothing against my cold face; it wasn't right. How could blood ever be soothing? It dripped down my neck and I felt it hit my necklace. It sounded like water hitting the drain in a sink. Everything had an echo. I finally managed to get the door and I pushed through it. But my legs gave out beneath me as my head started the throb. I landed hard against the carpeted floor, near the beds.

And just as I turned to see my dad walking towards me, an angry glint in his cold dead eyes, the motel door opened and I heard the laughing of Dean and Sam and suddenly he was gone.

"Andy?" Dean asked, dropping the bags of food on the floor. He rushed over to me and picked me off the ground to hold me in his arms. My head hurt and he was trying to shake me. He was distant and his hands felt like warm cotton over my skin. "Andy!" he said more forcefully, trying to keep my coherent.

But the light was slipping fast, faster than I could grab. I closed my eyes as Dean continued to shake me and collapsed against his leather jacket.

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	48. Chapter 47: Salvation Part 1

sorry for all the angst but it is the last few episodes (shrugs) not much i can do D:

enjoy! :D

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Chapter 47: Salvation Part 1

Everything was black and hazy. I tried to focus on exactly how I felt; but it was hard. I was feeling too many things at once. Was I alright? Maybe I wasn't, seeing as how I wasn't feeling much of anything. I tried opening my eyes but the muscles felt strained, like I hadn't done it in a long time. Finally, I opened my eyes. Slowly at first, but I managed to see everything at once. The room was white and suddenly all my senses were coming back. I smelled elastic and lemony scented cleaning products. I heard monitors and heavy breathing that I couldn't distinguish between my own and someone else's. I felt someone's hand tightly wound around my own and I managed to move my neck every so slightly to see who it was. For a minute, I thought something was wrong with me because I couldn't recognize who it was. His head was down on the comforter and the position looked very uncomfortable but he was fast asleep. I shook my head, trying to clear the remaining haze. Of course I knew who that was.

I reached my other hand over me to stroke his light brown spiked hair and he twitched against my touch. He shook the remainders of sleep away as he lifted his head, trying to see who was touching him. He looked so tired.

"Dean?" My voice croaked.

He looked slightly confused but then he was very much awake and pushing himself up and out of the chair.

"Andy." He sounded so relieved and exhausted all at once as he pulled me into him, hugging me tightly. How long had I been here that he would have to be this upset and worried? I knew he was; I could tell by the way he was holding me. His arms were tight and basically screaming that he'd never let go. I knew that's when I must have been tired as well, because all of a sudden I was referring to Dean's arms having mouths.

I saw Sam come into the doorway and almost drop his coffee at the sight of Dean squeezing me to death. "I'll get the doctor." I tried to figure out why everyone could sound tired and happy all at once.

"Dean…" I said quietly, rubbing his back. "I'm okay."

He must have realized that I needed to breath and that I was still in some kind of pain and he released his hold and sat down next to me on the bed.

"I was so worried." He admitted and kissed my cheek.

I pulled my hand into his and squeezed him tightly. "How long have been here?" I asked.

Long enough to scare the hell out of him. "Three days. You've been out cold. Doctors said you had a concussion and we shouldn't have let you fall asleep. You could have died Andy." Dean's voice was breaking all over the place and I damned the pain that lashed through my head as I sat up and pulled him into a hug.

His breaths were shaking and he was digging his fingers into the back of the stupid paper gown they gave you to wear. As I've said, hospitals had meetings about how they could make you feel utterly uncomfortable. I stroked his hair and the back of his neck and gave him a long kiss on the lips as I pulled away. He ran a hand over his face and looked at anything but me; embarrassed he'd come so close to letting his emotions run loose like that.

"I'm sorry I made you worry like that." I said sadly and I that's when I noticed how worn down he looked. He hadn't shaved and there were dark purple cusps under his tired hazel eyes. I didn't remember the clothes he had on from the night I had my nightmare but I was pretty sure he hadn't changed since yesterday.

My eyes locked with Dean. My nightmare. Why hadn't I remembered? It was the reason I was here in the first place. Although, before I could get into it the Doctor came in with Sam, John following not far behind.

"Well Ms. Monteague, your family was very worried about you. How are you feeling?"

"Um, my head hurts a little but that's about it."

"Well you've had a concussion." He said, writing things down on a clipboard. I was pretty sure he hadn't locked eyes with me once. He was going to have to in a few minutes. I knew he had to check my monitor, and my IV and my freakin pupils to see if anything was dilated. I rolled my eyes, trying not to make it noticeable. Right, because my pupils were dilated from the crack I smoked in my coma. I _hated_ hospitals. "Now, your family wasn't able to tell me anything since they claimed to have just found you, so can you just fill me in?"

I grit my teeth and bit my tongue on reiterating 'claimed' like I was going to throw something at him. Dean squeezed my hand and I sighed as the Doctor put down the clipboard and waited for my answer. He started fiddling with my IV and checking all the other things he needed to do.

"Um, I was in the shower and I tripped on the rug on the way out. I fell; hit my head off the sink."

From looking at all three of the Winchesters, they knew I was bullshitting the Doctor. That's why I could never play Poker with these jackasses. They always knew there was something else in my hand. They didn't know what specifically, but they knew when I was telling them I had an Ace that I really had a Three of Hearts.

"Well, I'm guessing we'll be a little more careful now won't we?" He asked me and I didn't care anymore, I glared at him. "Alright, we'll discharge you in an hour or so. Our patient charts are really backed up."

"Terrific." I muttered.

He nodded at John, for some odd reason, and headed out the door. Sam closed it after the doctor made his exit and I pointed in that direction.

"Do not tip him."

Sam smiled. "I don't think that's how that works Andy."

I smiled, happy to see Sam doing the same thing. He didn't look as tired as Dean did but I could tell the other two Winchesters were worn out as well. He came towards the other side of the bed and pulled me into a tight hug as well. I put my arms around his built chest and waist and squeezed him with all the energy I had. John gave me the same tight hug as Sam got up and I smiled at my three guys, sitting on my hospital bed.

"So I've been here three days?" I asked them.

They all nodded and Sam looked at Dean. "At least John and I have had showers. I could barely get Dean to leave the room."

I brought Dean's hand into mine again as he smiled sadly at the memory. No reminiscing. "Well, I know the exact thing we're going to do when we get back to the motel. Because I'm sure I smell like disinfectant." I grimaced.

Dean chuckled, leaning over to kiss my forehead and smell my hair, an action I was sure he had been doing for the past three days. "You've never smelled better."

I smiled slightly and ran my thumb along his knuckles. "I'm sorry for what I've put you guys through the last the few days. I knew it wasn't exactly cake. And why am I always the one to end up in the freaking hospital?" I asked.

It had meant to be funny, and all three Winchesters chuckled, but it was humorless.

"We're just glad you're okay." John said.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a nightmare?" Dean asked me, his voice straining. He really needed sleep. "You know what could happen. Or did that slash to the abdomen not give you enough of a reminder?"

"Dean…" Sam said lightly.

"Wait, what about your nightmares?" John asked. My headache was suddenly getting a whole lot worse.

"It's a long story Dad." Dean tried to explain, wanting an answer from me.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it through my lips. "Guys chill, okay? I don't need Testosterone spills, my head is killing me."

Dean moved his other hand to rest next to my head and slowly stroked my hair. I moved into his touch and sighed, grateful for the comfort of feeling his fingers slowly massage my skin. "Okay so first off, John, um a couple months ago I started having nightmares and they've all had side effects."

"Side effects?" he asked.

"Yeah, like she'll get burned in a dream and wake up with a burn."

"Or a slash through the abdomen." Sam finished for Dean and I nodded.

"This time, I dreamed I was running and I was tired. To make a long story short, I fell, blood was hitting on my pendant from my forehead and my dad was there."

"Your dad?" John asked in disbelief.

I looked at Dean and winced. I forgot he hadn't been let in on that part of the story either and it sounded all so crazy when said out loud and with everything else. But wasn't this what our job entailed? Crazy and unbelievable?

"We think a Necromancer is masquerading as her dad." Dean took over for me. At least it didn't sound like I was the crazy one.

"How come you didn't tell me about all this?" John asked. I couldn't decide whether he was pissed off or confused. Hell, maybe I was lucky and he was feeling both at once.

"We were gonna tell you and ask for help. Time just got the better of us, that's all." I answered quietly.

"Does it sound like a plan from Yellow Eyes?" Sam asked his father. We'd been all thinking it but didn't want to add anything else insane to the list.

"Why would the demon want Andy?"

I grimaced. "You're going to be upset again." I warned him. John just sighed and ran a hand over his face, inferring to just hit him with the full force with it. "I had this ex boyfriend and let's just say he went close to being Jack Nicholson in '_The Shining'._ He attacked all of us, saying the demon wanted me to know how special I was to him."

"Wait, the guy who killed himself in his motel room? I heard about that, Jason…?" John asked me and his stare shot straight through me as he caught on to what I knew.

"It was my knife." I whispered so low I was surprised John heard me from across the bed.

"But it wasn't her fault." Dean said, sticking up for me. He was trying to calmly remind me a hundred times over that it wasn't my fault.

I nodded and squeezed Dean's hand as hard as I could; it was keeping my tears inside my eyes. "He was gonna kill Dean." I said, my voice shaking. "And when I said that I'd never understand what he was doing and what the demon wanted me to do, he killed himself. Right in front of me."

I looked down at my hands toying with the end of the bed sheet and Sam reached over to put some hair behind my ear. He let his hand linger there for a moment before John spoke up.

"It wasn't your fault, Andy. This demon, as I've said, is a bad son of a bitch. And I wouldn't be surprised with the powers he can cook up. He probably has that Necromancer posing as your father just to shake you."

"All this trouble just for me?" I laughed nervously and looked at all three of them. "Lucky me."

"Let's just focus on getting you out of here." Sam said, smiling when I nodded almost incessantly.

"And the shower I get to look foreword too." Dean said, leaning up to kiss my forehead.

I smiled and hung onto him as he sat back down on the bed. Luckily, I didn't feel like a case was brewing. So maybe we'd actually be able to figure this thing out.

O0o0o0o0o

"Home sweet motel." Dean said as he opened the door and turned the light on. I looked around the room and sighed at the usual scenery. Two beds, one nightstand, kitchenette, table and chairs. It was like I never even left.

"Well, this rates high against hospitals." I said, flopping on one of the beds.

I glanced at the door and waited a moment to see if Sam and John were close to the door. "They've been getting along?" I asked.

Dean shrugged one shoulder and nodded as he rifled though our clothes bag. "Yeah, mostly. They were joking around the night we made the beer run. But I mean, they've been quiet for the past few days."

I got up from the bed and wrapped my arms around Dean's waist from behind him. I squeezed him tightly and he stopped going through the bags and wrapped his arms around my own and around his own waist.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

He smirked his typical Dean Winchester grin and responded, "I'm always okay."

He could say anything he wanted, but nothing could take away the sheer panic that was on his face when he told me I could have died. I'd never forget it.

I pulled off his button down from behind him and slid it down to the floor. I left gentle kisses on the back of his arms as I ran my hands over his t-shirted chest. I started lifting that up as well and I could tell he had closed his eyes and was suppressing to emit a low growl. I leaned down and kissed his lower back, rubbing my nose against the skin as I pulled his shirt up. My nose and lips followed his skin all the way up to his shoulders as I pulled off the shirt. I massaged his muscles and kissed his shoulder blades tenderly.

"I love you." He said quietly. I wonder how many times it went through his head that he might never get to say that to me again.

I turned him around and ran my hands over his chest, touching and soaking up every ounce of warmth I could. "I love you too." I responded just as softly and pulled him into a kiss.

I decided we better make our way into the bathroom before Sam and John came back in from loading stuff out of the trunk of the car. But I knew Sam knew we were up to something, hell we announced the freaking shower. He was giving us a little time to make it there.

I pushed him into the bathroom, against the sink, letting his hands roam over my body as I haphazardly closed the door. We'd forgotten the clothes Dean had gotten out of the bags but neither of us seemed too worried about it. He pulled off the clothes I had just thrown on at the hospital, trying to go slow to savor some kind of moment but lust getting the better of him. I could feel it circulate through him; he needed me. Not for his own pleasures or for mine. He needed to know that I was still there and to throw away the notion that haunted his head for three days that he might loose me. He pulled off my tank top and ran his hands over the white lace covering my skin. I pulled at his belt, trying to figure out how to unlatch it without looking down and pulling myself out of the kiss.

I tried and giggled against his lips, not being able to get it. "You have some childproof lock on your pants?"

He grinned and did it himself as I pulled away and pulled the shower curtain back. "No, if they were childproof I'd never be able to get them off."

My breath caught in my throat as I looked inside the shower. For some reason when I pulled the curtain back I got a glimpse of what had been there before; what I saw the last time I pulled a shower curtain back. I just shook my head as I realized there was no cloaked figure, like before and turned on the shower, trying to get the tap as hot as possible.

"You alright?" Dean asked me; I'm guessing he saw the hesitation a few moments before.

I turned back around and nodded, full fake smile on my face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"We don't have to do anything, if you're not—" I cut off his stupid notions, pushing myself back up against him and putting my lips on his. It seemed to be enough of an answer for him and his hands moved everywhere at once. I felt them in my hair, and then around my breasts and waist. Then they were on my pelvis, pulling my clothes to the floor.

We weren't coordinated enough to do this and I giggled as he tried pulling his own pants down without breaking the war our tongues were having. He suddenly picked me up by the waist and placed me in the shower, pulling back for only a second to successfully get his clothes off. He got in and I pulled the shower curtain closed.

He managed to reach down and turn the shower head on. The walls moaned as the pipes pushed the water to a different place and moments later water was showering down on the both of us. The water was hot and yet I was shivering. Dean was pushing me against the wall of the shower and tangling my wet hair in his hands. Our kisses were slower than our bodies were moving. It seemed like every part of our body, down to the molecules, was moving at throbbing rapid rate. But our lips were moving slowly and carefully; slow enough to let water drip in and wet our tongues.

I pulled back ever so slightly and his warm breath was puffing against my face. "We actually need to bathe this time Dean."

Dean scrunched his nose and I kissed it at the action. "Have you ever known us to get into a shower together and actually get to the soap and suds part?"

I laughed. "Huh, and I though the point of a shower was to become _less_ dirty."

"Not when we're taking one." Dean replied slowly, putting his lips back on mine.

My hand reached for the Lavender Body Lotion on the side of the tub and waved it at him as I pulled away. "Sure you don't want to help me?" I asked suggestively. "You could help me get all the hard to reach places."

Dean smiled and pulled the bottle out of my hands. "Maybe, just this once, we can focus on the soap part."

O0o0o0o0o0o

We took the longest shower and I felt amazing afterwards. Not to mention the great massages Dean gives. Damn, if he didn't have a job I'd recommended him doing that professionally. All the tense and painful days just washed away when he touched me and I couldn't have felt more relaxed.

Of course, then we remembered we had no clothes. We stood there and looked at each other a moment and took the towels off the sink. They were small though and wouldn't cover our entire waists, let alone our entire person. We had to beg Sam for what seemed like hours for him to just throw clothes in the bathroom for us. The steam had died down by then and we were both freezing and shivering messes.

I quickly got dressed in the sweat pants and t-shirt Sam had given me and grabbed a brush off the sink. Dean continued to get dressed and I ran the brush through my hair trying to get any knots out.

"Ouch." I commented, pulling the brush out. "I don't think I used enough conditioner."

"Was that before or after the moaning and panting for more Lavender?" Dean questioned, totally serious.

A small smile spread on my face at the memory. "After."

Dean chuckled, pulling his pants over his boxers. "Well, that explains it now doesn't it?"

"Do you think they heard us?" I asked as Dean came up behind me and wiped the fog from the mirror away.

"As I've told you, you're loud." I smiled as he whispered that in my ear. "Which doesn't bother me, _believe_ me, but other people may not find it so attractive."

He took the brush from me and gently pulled it through my hair, trying to get the frustrating knots. "I tried holding it back. I almost bit on your lower lip remember?"

Dean smiled and scoffed. "Yeah, well, I still got teeth marks on my chest if you don't remember."

I scoffed this time, almost mocking him. "And do I have to remind you of where you left _your_ teeth marks?"

Dean stopped brushing and smiled at me through the mirror, circling my waist with his arms. "No, would you like to show me?" He taunted and I giggled, turning around and kissing him.

"Are you two done yet?" Came John's yell and pounding on the door. I jumped in Dean's arms and he sighed, staring at the door that looked like it was about to fall over from John's fist hitting against it.

"Looks like alone time is up." Dean said sourly, pulling his arms off me and slipping on a long sleeved navy tee.

I shrugged and rubbed his arm tenderly for a moment. When he was completely done dressing he gelled his hair and took my hand to lead me out of the bathroom. Everywhere else was suddenly much colder than I thought.

O0o0o0o0o0o

"So, this is it." John said motioning us to sit down at the kitchen table. "This is everything I know. Look, our whole lives we've been searching for this demon, right? And not a trace, just nothing….until about a year ago. For the first time, I picked up a trail." He wasn't wasting any time and neither were his sons. They both dived into the information as soon as they saw it, making statements and questions. Damn, my brain was still in the shower.

"All right, so, what's this trail you found?" Dean asked, letting go of my hand to lean over the table.

"It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California—houses are burning down to the ground. It's going after families….just like it went after us."

"Families with infants?" I asked.

John nodded. "Yeah—the night of the kid's six-month birthday."

"So, why is it doing it? What does it want?" Sam asked, looking at all the data John had acquired over the years.

"I'm not sure." John replied honestly. "I've always been one step behind it."

"How do we find it again?" I asked, getting a sudden headache. I was guessing it was from my concussion and went in search of Advil in the bathroom.

Dean looked in on me, concern etching his features. But he didn't say anything; just watched me. I shrugged at him and motioned to my head. He nodded and turned back to John who was answering my question.

"The week before your mother died…" He looked at Dean and Sam. "And in Palo Alto….before Jessica. And these signs—they're starting again."

"Where?" Sam asked.

"Salvation, Iowa."

O0o0o0o

My headache didn't cease to stop as we entered Iowa. It felt like small rounds of explosions were lined up in my head and every so often one of them would explode.

"You okay back there?" Dean asked worriedly.

Sam looked back at me just in time to see me shake my head. "Dean, pull the car over." Sam said urgently, seeing me twist and buck with pain.

This wasn't my concussion, like I thought it had been earlier. This was something else, something far too familiar.

I screamed in pain as all the explosions went off at once and Dean chose that time to screech the car to a stop. My hands went to my head, my fingers streaming through my hair and turning to fists. I was pulling on my hair, digging my fingers into my head just trying to get the pain to stop.

I didn't notice both car doors open and the Winchesters sliding on both sides of me. They both gripped me, trying to get me to calm down. Dean was pulling me to him as my screams turned into loud sobs. Sam just sat there, looking at me and Dean worriedly, and stroked my hair, trying to detangle my fists.

The explosions stopped and debris and throbbing waves were left in its wake. I sat there in Dean's arms, trembling and whimpering. He started rocking me, trying to relax me.

"My head…" My breath hiccupped painfully and I felt Dean tense against me. His arms were so tightly wrapped around me that I thought my ribs might crack under the pressure.

"That wasn't from her concussion." Sam said steadily.

I could hear a truck approaching the car, knowing it could only be their father. We'd been following him but I guessed when he saw the boys pull off he turned back around and stopped.

Dean's head slowly rested on mine, forcefully kissing my skin. Everything seemed pressured, like an anvil was tied to everything that touched me.

"Then what the hell was it from?" Dean barked. His anger was directed at anyone specifically. Everyone's emotions had been strung for days and I felt bad something like this had to happen even though I knew it wasn't my fault. Just like the last time it happened.

"Saginaw, Michigan." Sam said, thinking Dean would catch on.

I raised my head ever so slightly from Dean's chest. "Every time I had one of those, Sam's visions wasn't far behind."

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not many chapters left D: review! i hope i finish this before i go on vacation!


	49. Chapter 48: Salvation Part 2

:D i love you my reviewers!! (hugsssss)

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Chapter 48: Salvation Part 2

Everyone exchanged glances and Sam looked like he was mentally preparing himself for a vision, like it was going to happen the minute after I said that.

"Damn it." I heard John swear and Dean stuck his body halfway out of the car, still managing to hold onto me.

"What is it?"

"I just got a call from Caleb."

Dean turned to look at Sam, who was getting out of the car. I pulled myself off of Dean and pushed for him to get out and talk to John. He looked at me hesitantly, but did so and left the car door open so I could hear them.

I laid down in the backseat of the car and tried listening into the conversation. But everything sounded louder than it was supposed to. It wasn't fair. At least when Sam went through the worst of it he had a vision attached to the pain. I just got the blinding pain and nothing else for no reason. Did that mean I could only have visions when I was asleep? It just didn't make sense.

"Jim Murphy is dead." John said upset.

I looked out at Sam and his whole face fell. "Pastor Jim? How?"

"Throat was slashed—he bled out." I just shook my head and buried my face in the seat of the Impala. I could tell Sam and Dean's faces were stunned without even looking at them. "Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jim's place."

"The demon." Dean muttered.

I'd been working this job all my life; it was second nature to me. The demon knew we were getting close, and it was frantic. Not that demons really showed that they were scared but it didn't mean they didn't feel terror. The demon was lashing out at people we cared about because we were getting close; it was trying to get us to back off.

"What do you want to do?" Sam asked.

"Now we act like every second counts. There are two hospitals and a health center in this county. We split up, we cover more ground. I want records. I want a list of every infant that's gonna be six months old in the next week."

Maybe that's why Sam and I were so different. My mother hadn't been killed on the night of my six month birthday, unlike Sam's. Maybe that's why our visions differed. Hell, I didn't think some of mine even counted as visions. The ones I had about the random found objects made me feel like I was in a 'Where's Waldo' book. Sam's were about people, ones he could help.

"Dad, that could be dozens of kids. How the hell are we gonna know which one's the right one?" Sam asked, the thought coming to my mind as well.

"We'll check 'em all, that's how. You got any better ideas?" John snapped and Sam shifted on his feet obviously not having an answer. "Where's Andy?" John asked suddenly, shifting as well to look in the car.

"She's not feeling well." Dean muttered.

I could literally hear the frustration in John's sigh. He didn't like weak links and I felt horrible to the fact that I was suddenly getting hurt like crazy around him. Which, okay, it wasn't my fault. I couldn't have prevented any of it but I didn't want him to see me that way. To look at me like because I was the only girl on this team that I couldn't do my job. He probably didn't actually feel that way, none of the Winchesters were sexist, but _I_ felt that way. I got up from the seat and pulled myself out of the car, ignoring the screaming pain that was ricocheting in my head.

Dean turned and saw me and I ignored his, '_Andy, stop being a hardass'_ look. "I'm okay, just a headache."

John didn't seem like he bought it but nodded anyways. "Good because…this ends. Now. I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes." He turned and got back into his truck and started the engine, revving it so the boys knew to get in their car and do the same.

My legs felt wobbly and I had to grab the side of the car door to remain upright. Dean turned and I could literally see some kind of steam crawl out of his ears. "You wanna sit down before you fall down there Andy?"

"I just didn't want to seem weak in front of your dad." I muttered, turning to head back into the backseat. I rolled my eyes at him. _Sue me okay?_

"Yeah, well, you won't seem so strong if you faint." He added.

"Dean, just, chill out and get in the car." I said looking at him. He raised his eyebrows at my tone and scoffed, shutting the car door.

I think he slammed it on purpose and I groaned as the door made the car shake. Sam glared at Dean as he got in the car and started it. It was off to the hospital.

O0o0o0o0o

We arrived at the hospital and Dean handed me a fake Hospital staff ID card while Sam clipped an investigator ID to his own shirt.

"How's your head?" Dean asked softly as I got out of the car. It was his own silent apology and I could hear what he actually wanted to say. _I'm sorry for slamming the car door._

I nodded and shrugged. _It's okay_. I hoped it was enough of an answer for him, I really didn't feel like talking.

"Are you going with me or Sam?" Dean asked as we entered the hospital. I looked between the desk Sam was heading to and the one Dean needed to go to. There was a very attractive receptionist at the one and I contemplated on whether Dean had noticed her yet.

"I don't know, cruising for a hookup?" I asked him and nodded at the desk.

"Do you mean, do I want to ask if she interested in a threesome?" he asked, looking hopeful.

I rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder. He laughed, pulled me close for a moment and left a long kiss on my head. "I don't know Dean. How bout this, get her résumé and see where the most interesting place she's done it in. See if her place beats mine." I said entertainingly.

I tried pulling away but he was intrigued and pulled on my arm. "Wait a minute; we've done it in a car, a shower…a bed…?"

I smiled slowly and kissed his lips. "I didn't my place had anything to do with you..."

"Haha Andy…" He said watching me make my way over to Sam. He shifted on his feet looking from the receptionist to me. "No, seriously."

I smiled at his confused pout and shrugged, turning around to Sam completely. I laughed to myself. Dean would be so preoccupied with trying to think about what I've said that he wouldn't even think twice about the girl in front of him. Guys were incredibly stupid that way.

O0o0o0o

"What have we got?" I asked Sam, following him out of the building.

"Right now about three possible children."

"I wonder how many Dean and John got." I thought out loud and he shrugged.

Suddenly Sam stopped short and grimaced in pain. I grabbed his shoulders and swore. Crap, why couldn't this happen when Dean was here. I didn't know what to do.

"Sam, are you okay?" I asked, my voice squeaking with worry.

Sam started massaging his temples and squeezing his eyes shut. He didn't seem like he could answer me and I squeezed his shoulders. "Map." He managed to grit out, breathing heavily.

I nodded and went around to the backpack on his back and searched for the map. I pulled it out and came back around the front of him. God, I knew exactly how he felt, even though the more pain Sam's visions were causing him the more my headache went away.

"What do you want me to look for?" I asked softly.

"Train…" He grimaced and I wished I had some Advil for him.

I checked the map for train tracks even though I was dying to ask Sam why the hell I was looking for it. But I knew better, he was in pain and any unnecessary questions would most likely just make him angry. "There are train tracks near this street." I pointed at the map and he nodded, pulling on my arm.

"That's not far away, come on."

I just nodded and let him pull on my arm to get me there. I'm just glad someone was with him during this and that he wasn't by himself. The pain these visions packed was disorienting and all you would need was to be in traffic and get hit with one of these visions. Suddenly you'd get hit by a car or something because you're too worried about the pain lighting your brain cells on fire.

"There." He said pointing at a house after some walking.

"That house was in you vision?" I asked. It sounded like a stupid question because why other than that would Sam be pointing out that house. But he didn't turn around and glare or anything, he just nodded.

He then motioned to something else, a woman pushing a baby carriage and holding an umbrella. "Come on." He muttered somewhat painfully and I nodded.

"Hi." He said smiling at the woman. He masked pain very well. I smiled at the woman also and Sam held the baby carriage for her. "Here, let me hold that. You don't need that anymore."

She smiled and took down her umbrella. "Thanks."

I looked at the baby in the carriage and smiled. "She's gorgeous. Is she yours?"

She nodded and smiled at me. "Yeah."

"Oh, wow." Sam said, looking down at the baby. He then looked at the woman. "I'm sorry, I'm rude. I'm Sam and this is Andy. We just moved in up the block."

She extended her hand to me and Sam. "Oh, hey, I'm Monica. This is Rosie."

"Rosie? Hi, Rosie." Sam said, smiling at the baby.

"So, welcome to the neighborhood." Monica said. "Do you two have any children?" She asked.

Sam just looked at me and I shrugged, grabbing his hand. "No, not yet. But we want one."

Wasn't completely a lie. One day, I wanted a kid with Dean. He seemed like he would be a great Dad and I wanted to be a mother. But as I've said, this life was so screwed up half the time. Raising a kid, taking her or him one place to another…it wouldn't be a life. And I couldn't bear doing that to a little kid. Not to mention I could name at least thirty demons that used children sacrifices. It would destroy Dean and me if something like that happened. I'd like to think we had the odds in our favor, but nothing was certain with this stupid job.

Sam smiled sympathetically, as if he read my mind. "Life has been hectic to say the least. One day it'll calm down and we'll get our chance."

I smiled, thanking him and squeezed his hand. Monica nodded almost knowingly and I looked down at the baby again. "She's such a good baby." I observed.

Monica nodded, leaning down to stroke Rosie's face. "I know. I mean, she never cries. She just stares at everybody. Sometimes she looks at you, and I swear, it's like she's reading your mind."

Sam squeezed my hand now, but for a different reason. I knew what he was thinking and nodded. "What about you, Monica? Have you lived here long?" I asked.

"My husband and I, we bought our place just before Rosie was born."

"How old is Rosie?" Sam asked.

"She's six months today." Monica said smiling. I smiled half-heartedly while Sam just looked stunned. "It's big, right? Growin' like a weed."

"Monica?" Sam said after a moment and she looked at him confused.

"Yeah?"

Sam paused, looking sad. I squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Monica nodded, looking at the both of us. "Yeah. You, too, guys. We'll see you around. I hope you two have that baby." She smiled at me as she walked to her driveway.

"Thank you." I said quietly.

We watched her for a moment before I pulled on Sam to walk down the sidewalk. Sam stopped for a moment as we crossed the street and grimaced, clutching his head in pain.

"Crap…" I muttered.

I pulled him to where there were some trees near the railroad track, not wanting anyone to see Sam. He kneeled down on his knees, groaning.

"Come on, Sam…" I said softly, massaging his shoulders. "It's almost over." Or God I hoped it was. Sam was squeezing my arms so tight that he almost pulled me down to my knees.

He finally came out of it, breathing heavily. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes, although I didn't know if it was from the pain or from the vision itself.

I kneeled down and pulled him in a tight hug, not knowing what else to do.

O0o0o0o0o

I took Sam back to the motel and Dean and John were there waiting.

"Where the hell were you two?" Dean asked, worried.

I rolled my eyes and sat Sam at the table. "I have a cell phone ya know."

Sam was grimacing and rubbing his temples and it occurred to Dean. He looked at me as I went to get Advil. "It happened didn't it? He had a vision?"

I nodded and John just looked at the both of us like we were crazy. "A vision?"

I handed Sam the Advil and Dean got him the water. "Yes. I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling."

"It started out as nightmares, and then he started havin' them when he was awake." Dean concluded.

"Just like Andy?" John asked.

I shrugged. "It's a long list of compare and contrast. I have nightmares but they're not about other people."

"Yeah, they're about herself and objects. Kind of selfish when you think about it."

I glared at Dean and smacked him upside the head. He grunted and sat down on one of the chairs.

"It's like the closer I get to anything involving the demon, the stronger the visions get." Sam said painfully.

"Maybe that's why Andy's headache was so intense this time." Dean said, glancing at me.

"All right, when were you gonna tell me about this?" John asked Dean angrily.

Dean now looked at John confused. "We didn't know what it meant."

"All right, something like this starts happening to your brother and Andy, you pick up the phone, and you call me."

I scoffed and looked at John. "Call you? Are you serious? It's not Dean's fault you'd rather get eaten by a pack of wild dogs than answer your phone."

Dean nodded, stepping towards his Dad. "She's right Dad. I called you from Lawrence; Sam called you when I was dying. Gettin' you on the phone—I've got a better chance of winnin' the lottery."

"Seven times." I muttered, thinking that was going to tip John into yelling at me.

He just looked at us and nodded. "You guys are right." He looked at Dean. "Although I'm not real crazy about this new tone of yours, you're right. I'm sorry."

"Look, guys, visions or no visions, the fact is, we know the demon is coming tonight. And this family's gonna go through the same hell that we went through." Sam said and I nodded, looking to Dean.

"No, they're not. No one is, ever again." John finished.

I took Sam's glass to the sink and I could feel Dean following me. I rinsed out the cup, even though there had just been water in it and Dean leaned next on the sink next to me. He grabbed my hand as I pulled away from turning the water off.

"Thanks for taking care of Sam." He said softly.

I smiled as one of his arms went protectively around my waist. "No need to thank me." I kissed him softly and he rubbed his nose along my cheek as Sam's cell phone rang.

"Hello...Who is this?"

Dean and I turned to see Sam on his phone and Dean pushed himself off the sink, pulling me across the room to sit down on the bed with him.

Suddenly Sam looked at us shocked. "Meg."

My head zipped to Dean and he stood, taking the phone from Sam to put it on speaker.

"Last time I saw you sweetheart, you fell out of a window." Dean said hotly.

"Yeah Dean, thanks to you. That really hurt my feelings, by the way."

"Just your feelings?" I asked. "That was a seven-story drop."

You could literally hear Meg's slow smile. If you compared it to an actual sound it would give you a chill like nails on a chalkboard. "No warm hellos Andy? How's you head?" She asked slowly.

It made me shiver and suddenly Dean was gripping the table. "Leave her alone Meg."

"Let me speak to your dad then."

"My dad—I don't know where my dad is." Sam said, looking straight at John.

Meg sighed impatiently. "It's time for the grown-ups to talk, Sam. Let me speak to him, now."

Sam reluctantly handed the phone to John. I exchanged glances with Dean and he came around to put his arm around my waist.

"This is John." John said quietly, the phone still on speaker.

"Howdy, John. I'm Meg. I'm a friend of your boys." Both Sam and Dean looked ready to tear the room apart. "I'm also the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood." I squeezed Dean around his waist as John looked like he was about to cry. "Well, I'm visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi."

Suddenly a male frantic voice came on the line saying not to tell Meg anything. But his voice disappeared as quickly as he started talking.

"Caleb?" John asked.

Sam and Dean exchanged worried looks and Dean was squeezing the hell out of my wrist. He was scared and I started running my hand over his shoulder, trying to get him to ease up on the vise grip he had around me. Dean had known Caleb longer than Sam and I had, well at least remembered him better than we could. I was pretty sure that's who watched us when Pastor Jim couldn't.

"You listen to me." John warned. "He's got nothing to do with anything. You let him go."

"We know you have the Colt, John." Meg sneered.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John tried.

Meg chuckled. "Oh. Okay. So, listen to this." There was a quick movement of something but then the sound of Caleb choking on his own blood filled the room.

Dean's face filled with disgust and I thought he was going to be sick as he turned into my touch. I started stroking his hair instead.

"Caleb? Caleb!" John yelled, devastated. "I'm gonna kill you, you know that?"

You could literally hear Meg's eye roll and I squeezed Dean's shoulders. "Oh, John, please. Mind your blood pressure. Your friends, anyone who has ever helped you, gave you shelter, anyone you ever loved—they'll all die unless you give us that gun."

John just looked at all three of us and nodded. "Okay." He said quietly.

"There's a warehouse in Lincoln, on the corner of Wabash and Lake. You're gonna meet me there." She said slowly. "And if you don't get here by midnight, I guess your friends die, don't they?"

John sighed, obviously frustrated. There was no way he could make it to Lincoln by tonight and you couldn't just carry a gun on a plane.

"If you do decide to make it, come alone. Oh and Andy…" I looked up from Dean and at the phone. "I'm not accustomed to talking to myself…" She said waiting.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah?"

"Say hi to your father for me. I hear he's walking around."

She hung up after that and I swallowed, looking from Dean to Sam.

Sam cleared his throat as John shut the cell phone. "Do you think Meg is a demon?"

"Either that or she's possessed by one. It doesn't really matter."

Dean cleared his throat, stroking my forearm as he looked at Sam and John. "What do we do?"

"I'm going to Lincoln." Was all John said.

Dean literally jumped up from the bed. "What?"

"It doesn't seem like I have a choice. If I don't go, a lot of people die. Our friends die."

"Dad, the demon is coming tonight for Monica and her family. That gun is all we've got. You can't just hand it over." Sam said, standing as well.

I remained on the bed; anything I said was not going to help. So I just listened.

"Who said anything about handing it over?"

"So, what, you're just gonna pick up a ringer at a pawn shop?" I asked, not being able to keep my mouth shut.

"Antique store." John corrected.

I scoffed, all of a sudden finding mass hilarity in the plan he was forming. "Oh great, that makes it better. You're gonna hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice?"

"Look, as long as it's close, she shouldn't be able to tell the difference." John yelled angrily, directing it at me. I just raised my eyebrows and backed off.

"Don't yell at her, she's right." Dean said, standing in front of me. "What happens when Meg figures it out?"

John cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. "I just—I just need to buy a few hours, that's all."

Something occurred to me and I got up from the bed, coming to stand next to the Dean. "You mean for Dean and Sam." John was silent. "You're running away again. You want them to stay here….and kill this demon by themselves?"

"What have I told you about speaking to me like that?" John spat, throwing another 'You're my child' undertone.

I lost it. I was tired of him treating me and everyone else around him like children. "You have a twisted way of looking at things you know that? You treat them like they're four and then you turn around telling them to face this bad ass demon all by themselves? They've been waiting to do this _with_ you. They _need_ you."

He was reminding of my father and suddenly something just snapped as he turned away from me. "All you're good at is running away!" I screamed. I hadn't meant that. It wasn't John I was necessarily mad at. I loved him just like I had loved my father. But all this running away was bullshit. They were stronger together, we all were and I was tired of this family sacrificing themselves.

Suddenly John retaliated and turned quicker than I thought he would. He threw a shot at me, hitting me on my jaw line. It wasn't a hard hit, just a frustrated one. What the hell was wrong with me? He had just lost one of his closest friends and there I was poking and prodding at his open wound.

Sam came up behind me and pulled me against him as I teetered back from him. I went to look at Dean but apparently that little hit had made him see red and he was going towards his father. Sam moved to pull him back before he could throw a punch he'd regret later.

"I want to stop losing people we love." John yelled. "I want Sam to go to school. I want Dean to have a home with you!" He started crying then and I had a half a mind to run out of the motel and just never come back. "I want Mary alive…I just want this to be over."

I shook my head, feeling the side of my face throb. "I'm sorry." I choked out and John turned to grab his jacket.

"I'm going to get the gun." And he was out the door.

Dean turned and looked at me, his face flushed with anger and concern. I looked at my hands and headed into the bathroom to splash water on my face. Dean didn't come in after me.

O0o0o0o0o

Dean pulled along a road near the train tracks and parked the car, getting out and slamming the door. I winced as he did so, swearing at myself.

Sam turned around and tried smiling slightly. "You okay?"

I shook my head no. "I shouldn't have said anything. Now I insulted John and Dean's pissed at me."

"He'll get over it. He's probably just pissed off he didn't get to hit him and blow off steam."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right. I should know better than to say something like that and put Dean in the middle." He was probably mad at me because I had made him almost punch his father for hurting me. All because I hadn't been able to keep my big mouth shut.

Sam shrugged. "But you were right and Dean knows that. It'll be okay, just give him a little time."

I nodded and got out of the car. We came around the trunk as John's truck pulled up.

"Did you get it?" Dean asked John.

John pulled out a fake gun that was wrapped in newspaper and unraveled it.

"You know this is a trap, don't you? That's why Meg wants you to come alone." I asked him.

John just nodded, but didn't look up at my face. He probably didn't want to see the small bruise forming on my jaw. I knew Dean had seen it though because his face softened every time he looked at me. Must have been hard to put that anger wall back up when I finally made eye contact with him.

"I can handle her. I got a whole arsenal loaded—holy water, Mandaic amulets—" He answered me softly.

"Promise me something." Dean stated. He didn't ask a question, so John couldn't flip between yes or no. He just had to agree. "This thing goes south, just get the hell out. Don't get yourself killed, all right? You're no good to us dead." Dean joked but he wasn't trying to be funny.

"Same goes for you. All right, listen to me." He took the real Colt out of his pocket and handed it to Dean along with the bullets. "They made the bullets special for this Colt. There's only four of 'em left. Without 'em, this gun is useless. You make every shot count."

"Yes, sir." Sam nodded.

"I've been waiting a long time for this fight. Now it's here, and I'm not gonna be in it." He looked directly at me and I shied away from his eyes, embarrassed and sorry about earlier. "You finish this."

"We'll see you soon, Dad." Sam said confidently and Dean smiled at his dad.

"I'll see you later." John started to turn around and head back to his truck.

"John." I said softly, following him. He turned around and looked at me expectantly. "I don't…I don't want loose another dad. I don't Sam and Dean to suffer…be careful." I said as a tear slowly made its way down my cheek, making the bruise on my face sting.

John smiled at me, running a hand over my cheek to catch the tear. "I'm sorry."

I nodded. "Me too."

He pulled me close to him and gave me a loving kiss on the forehead. "You be careful, watch each other's backs."

"Yes, sir." I said. I hadn't said that in a long time and the action seemed to surprise him but it was an order I was determined to follow.

0o0o0o0o0o

i should be able to finish this before vacation...hopefully D:

review!! :D


	50. Chapter 49: Salvation Part 3

3 more chapters! please review!!

0o0o0o0o0o

Chapter 49: Salvation Part 3

The ride back to the motel had been quiet. But it wasn't surprising. Sam had a headache, Dean was mad at me and I just didn't want to say anything that might get me smacked. When we got back to the motel everyone pretty much stayed on their own side of the room. Dean was on the bed cleaning his weapons, Sam was packing clothes and weapons into duffels and I was sitting at the kitchenette table going over the research John had left. This wasn't in one way good. If we were facing this demon tonight, we needed to communicate with one another.

"These packed?" I asked Sam, motioning to duffels on the bed. The sudden sound of talking seemed to startle him but he nodded. "I'll take them out to the car."

I lifted two out of the four bags onto my back. As I headed out the door and down to the car I heard the bed coils squeak and Dean mutter something to Sam. When I got down there and popped the trunk open I saw him come out of the room with the two other bags. My stomach was doing flip flops as I saw him approach me.

He threw the bags into the back, overtop of mine and I shut the trunk as he adjusted his brown polo.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"How's your jaw?" He asked quietly, playing with the sleeves of his shirt.

"Sore, but I deserved it." I was opening the conversation for him but he wasn't taking it. "I'm sorry I put you in the middle like that. I should have never opened my mouth."

"I almost hit him Andy. I was going to." His voice with weighed, like he wanted to me to know the gravity of the situation I put him in.

"I'm sorry." I said again. I didn't know how to make it better. "If I could take it back…"

"You wouldn't." He almost let out a laugh but rubbed the back of his neck instead. "It's not who are, plus, you were right."

"Why do I feel like its one of those times I wished I was wrong?" I asked him quietly and looked at my shoes.

He was coming closer to me because his shoes were almost hitting mine. It was a small invitation to get me to look up at him, especially when he gently nudged my foot with his.

"Hey…" He raised my chin with his hand and rubbed his fingers gently along the healing bruise. "Ya know, it's all or nothing tonight…"

I nodded. "I know, it's the fight we've been waiting for. You scared?"

Dean shook his head no, but you wouldn't believe what you could read in someone's eyes when you got to know them. "Are you?" He asked curiously.

I nodded. "Yeah, a little bit. But I'll tell you one thing; I'd rather be here with you guys than anywhere else."

Dean smiled slowly, touched. He brought my lips closer to his and left gentle kisses there. "Sure you wouldn't rather be at that special sex place you won't tell me about?"

I giggled, pushing him off me, causing him to laugh as well. "Ass."

"You know what I've noticed? You seem to be really fixated with my ass sometimes." I smirked and hugged him around his waist. "I'm serious. There has to be some twelve step group you can join that could help you with that."

"You don't like me obsessing about your ass…or…" I rubbed the muscles around his chest and stroked the skin along his waist line. "Any other part for that matter?"

Dean looked ready to swallow his words. "Well, ya know, first step is admitting it…"

I smiled and pulled his face down to kiss him. His arms curled around my waist, pushing against my skin. Everywhere his hands pressed felt like a pressure point because it was making me jerk and moan ever so slightly against him. He was emitting low growls against my mouth and it made it sound like he was purring.

"Why am I not surprised you two are out here doing this?" Sam asked approaching the car. Dean and I pulled away, smiling at him. "Any three and half minutes you're alone you start groping each other."

"I think that's a record." I joked looking at Dean.

He smirked, squeezing me around the waist. "So how long do we have until we get to Monica's?" Dean asked Sam.

Sam handed me the keys to the car and Dean tried reaching over and grabbing them from me. He almost resorted to tickling and I quickly pulled away and got in the drivers seat.

Sam checked his watch. "Bout five hours. It happens at night."

"So you know where we're heading right?" I asked them, sticking my head out the window. They looked at me confused. "A bar."

Dean grinned at Sam and got in the passenger seat as Sam crawled in the back. Time for a little old fashion fun with my guys.

O0o0o0o0

"Do you know where you're going?" Dean asked me as I pulled onto the highway.

"I saw a bar as we entered Salvation. It was on the side of the road a few miles out." I looked back at Sam through the rearview mirror. "Don't worry, it's not far away enough that we'll miss our rendezvous of stalking Monica's house or anything."

Sam smiled half-heartedly. "Good to know."

Dean and Sam looked sullen as I drove to the bar. I understood that, but if this was the last hunt, for whatever reason, they needed to live in the moment a little bit. I popped in one of my cassette tapes and was waiting for one of them to stop me. Dean started looking confused when I rolled down my window and tried fast forwarding to a certain song.

Realization dawned on his features and I grinned at him as Edwin McCain's song 'I'll Be' tuned to life and blasted through the small speakers in the Impala.

"Oh no…" Dean groaned, glancing back at Sam for help.

Sam smiled at me and shrugged at Dean. "Don't look at me, she's your girlfriend."

I listened for a moment, trying to figure out what part of the song it was at.

_Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky  
Never revealing their depth  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love…_

"I'm glad you know the words, Andy." Dean said smiling and I shoved him.

"I do, shut up." I giggled and figured out where the hell the song was. "I'll be captivated; I'll hang from your lips, instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above!"

I turned the song up and found that Dean and Sam couldn't resist smiling now. "Come on, I know you two know the words." Dean shook his head incessantly and Sam just laughed.

"I hope you're enjoying this." Dean said over the music. "Because I'm pretty sure I'm losing the hearing in my right ear."

He turned down the music as we approached the bar and I continued singing even though he popped out my cassette tape.

_And I'll be your love suicide  
and I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life…_

Dean finally took off his seatbelt as I pulled into the parking lot and pushed his lips on mine, drowning out my singing. I giggled against him lips and I could see Sam smiling in the backseat.

"What?" I asked pulling back from him. "My singing was that bad?"

I got out of the car and suddenly both of them rounded it, pulling me against them and into one big hug. I felt like I was fifteen, on that little bed in the room I'd never see again.

"Thanks Andy." Dean said, kissing my head.

O0o0o0o0o

"Am I buying?" I asked as we approached the bar.

Dean shrugged. "I see it as since you're the one trying to cheer us up and all…"

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I see that as fair."

I rolled my eyes and pushed them both to get a table. "Of course you do…"

I turned back to the bar and tried to get the bartenders attention, which is just about as good as waving your hand in front of a blind person.

"You might have to flash your bra." Someone said next to me.

I turned, praying to God I heard him wrong. "Excuse me?"

He was clean cut and had bright sky blue eyes. He must have been having a bad day to end up in a crummy bar like this with what looked like a seven hundred dollar suit on.

"To get the bartenders attention? Flash of lace?" He had a strong accent as well, I wanted to say it was British but I wasn't quite sure. "Only pulling your strings, sweetheart. But since you're not laughing I'll offer my hand instead." He stuck out his hand and smiled. "I'm Paul."

I was highly not interested but I stuck out my hand to be polite. "Andy."

"You aware you have a lad's name there?"

I almost laughed at the rudeness but as I looked at him, he wasn't being rude, just bluntly obvious. "My full name is Andrea." And why was I bothering to tell him this?

He smiled slowly, taking a drink from his beer. My cheeks slowly spread with rose embarrassment. Right, he could deduct that my full name was Andrea from the nickname. I could tell he was enjoying my discomfort as well.

"Why don't I stop embarrassing you and grab the bartender, eh?"

I nodded and ran a hand over my face as he whistled to grab the bartender's attention. He pointed to me and I smiled slightly in thanks.

"Can I get two Miller's and one of those Shirley temples with vodka please?"

The bartender nodded and went off to the fix the drinks. "Three drinks all for you?" He asked me. He didn't look at me as he talked and it, for some reason, intrigued me.

"No, I'm here with those two." I said pointing to where Sam and Dean were playing darts.

"You live here or visiting?"

I leaned sideways on the bar; I wished the drinks would hurry up. "What's with the twenty question dissertation?"

He raised his eyebrows at me and turned in his seat to face me. "No need to snap, crackle and pop all at once, love."

"I didn't…" Why was he making me so flustered all of a sudden?

"You want to ask me a question instead?" He was really starting to make me feel uncomfortable and I glanced at Dean. He was laughing with Sam and he caught me stare.

"You okay?" He mouthed.

"So go head, ask me twenty questions." Paul said, suddenly getting very close. He looked like he could leak alcohol the smell was so strong on him. "Come on pet, don't have all day here."

I swallowed. "Where are those drinks?" I asked, turning to look around the bar.

"Well, you see. The bartender down there…" He motioned farther down the bar. "Is flirting with a pretty regular trollip and has forgotten all out your request."

I followed his motion and he was right. The guy was basically bending over the bar to see down a woman's top. I rolled my eyes; perfect.

"How bout another?" He asked, reaching out to touch my arm.

"How bout you sober up?" I asked as I pulled my arm out of his reach.

"Everything okay here?" Dean asked as he approached the bar, right between me and Paul.

I glanced back at Sam and he wasn't far behind. He came up and stood behind me. Guy shouldn't have tried to touch me; it was like raging a silent war. Now I would have to literally drag Sam and Dean out of there. I inwardly groaned; today was supposed to be a fun time. To get everyone's mind off the upcoming night. Why couldn't' things just ever fall into place like they were supposed to?

"Fine, mate." Paul bit out, speaking into his beer as he took another sip.

"Andy?" Dean asked me.

I just looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine." He looked like he was unconvinced but I didn't want to fight with anyone. "Really, it's okay." I said touching Dean's forearm. "Paul here just had too much to drink."

"Maybe if your girl wasn't such a tease…" Paul said sloppily.

Dean turned slowly and I looked back at Sam for help. Sam approached Dean and pulled on him. "Come on man, punching in a drunken guy's face is cheating, you know that. Let's just go."

I nodded and hopped off the bar stool as Sam took Dean outside. Dean shrugged Sam off as we approached the car. I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face.

"Remember the last time something like that happened?" I asked them.

Dean chuckled, even though he sounded angry. "Yeah, slammed that one guy right into the bar stool."

"Broke his nose." I said remembering.

"Yeah, let's not recap." Sam said grimly and opened the car door.

The bar door's suddenly banged open and Paul came staggering out. "Andy!" he screamed.

Dean was gripping the car door so tight his knuckles were turning white. "This guy is going to end up with a broken face…" He swore.

"Let's just get in the car." I said.

"I got a message for you!" Paul continued, getting closer to the car. "From Jason!"

I stopped short, looking at Dean and Sam with wide eyes. They seemed to be sharing the same shocked moment. I turned to Paul to catch the wide grin on his face and his eyes turning a solid black.

"He said he's sorry going to miss it."

"Miss what?" I asked, my voice breaking in odd places.

Paul chuckled, it sounded dark and crackly; like the beginning of a thunder storm. "The look on your face when the demon rips Sam and Dean's hearts out right in front of you."

"Son of a bitch!" Dean swore, making an action to run towards him. I pulled him back as Sam suddenly pulled something out of his pocket. It was Holy Water. He splashed Paul with it over four times. Paul screamed and moaned as the water hit him, making his skin shake and steam.

"Come on!" I screamed, getting into the car. Sam continued to splash him as I got in and started the car. "Sam!"

He jumped in and I pulled away from a collapsing Paul. He fell to his knees and a black smoke rose out of his throat and into the sky and for a moment I thought it was following us. But as soon as it hit a certain peak in the sky it swarmed towards the ground and crashed into the pavement, going through it.

I checked the review mirror as we drove farther away from the bar. Paul's body was still on the concrete, unmoving.

"You think he's dead?" I asked Sam and Dean.

Sam shrugged, putting the Holy Water back in his pocket. "I don't know."

"Let's not stick around long enough to find out, peddle it." Dean told me.

I stepped on the gas and sped off the highway and back into Salvation housing areas. I pulled near the train tracks and parked. It wasn't that far away from Monica's, you could see the house past some trees. But it was still at least an hour until it got dark and even then, who knew how long we'd be waiting.

The car was quiet for a moment as I took the keys out. "Why is it, every time we go to a bar something happens?"

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, a guy hits on you and turns out to be demon."

"Or just a regular sleaze ball." I added.

"Met Meg at a bar." Dean said suddenly.

"Got kidnapped by a bunch of hillbillies."

I laughed at Sam's add and wracked my head for other occurrences. "We also can't have breakfast at a diner without Dean spilling Holy Water on the waitress or threatening the waiter for flirting with me."

Dean started laughing slowly. "That's true."

"We should never talk to people outside our motel room." I said finally making both of them laugh. "It's just better that way."

"No one would get slammed with a bar stool." Sam said.

"Or drowned with Holy Water." I giggled.

"Why do I have a feeling that this is all my fault?" Dean asked, turning to look at the both of us.

Sam and I just looked at each other and broke out in a fit of giggles and Dean rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was just trying not to laugh himself.

This was good. At least we were all together, and we were laughing.

O0o0o0o0o

It was officially a few hours past eight and I could tell both of the Winchesters were getting antsy. We'd been playing around with Impala Bingo and Hunting ABC for the past few hours but eventually everyone tapered off onto other things. Sam was rummaging through weapons in the trunk looking for things he could use for the fight and Dean and I, for some reason, were working on my fighting skills.

He insisted I learn a little more than a kick to the groin and a punch to the face to defend myself.

"Okay…" Dean said, grabbing me around my waist from behind. "What do you do?"

"Other than resist the need to kiss you?" I asked smiling.

He stopped the smile playing over his face and shook me slightly. "Seriously, come on. What do you do?"

I sighed, thinking. I brought my elbow up slowly to demonstrate what I thought I could do. I moved it towards his face and it hit right along his cheekbone.

He nodded. "You could do that. But remember, I could always…" He grabbed my elbow and twisted it slightly, turning me foreword. I was smack up against his chest and he had my arm around my back. "Do that."

I smiled slightly. He was smug. "Right, but now… I can do this."

I brought my knee up and shifted along his groin. It didn't hurt him but it created some other type of movement. He laughed slightly. "Andy, you're trying to take down your attacker…not arouse him."

I smirked. "Well obviously, if you were attacking, I'd make it hurt."

I moved my knee again in the same direction but this time with a little more push. He pulled back before I could do the real damage and he got the point. "Ah, okay. Now… what if…" He brought his hand up to my neck and wrapped his finger around me. "I had you here?"

I brought my one arm up and pushed down on his arm, making his elbow bend. He nodded. "Good. Then bring your other one up and push it towards my face…" He took my other hand and brought it towards his face. "You can break my nose if you hit it the right way."

I nodded. "Can we do this at a quicker pace?"

"Promise not to break my nose?" He asked smiling.

I smiled and shrugged. He suddenly came out of no where, pouncing on me like I was prey. He pushed me against the car and had his hand around my neck. I could see Sam was peeking his head around the trunk to see what was going on and to watch.

It startled me a moment and I could tell Dean wasn't about to let up his grip, so I did it like he showed me. I brought my one arm up and slammed it into his, making his elbow bend. I took my other one and brought it up to his face. Before I could actually hurt him with my fist I moved my leg instead and brought it behind his knees. I pushed and knocked him off balance, making him fall back on his ass instead.

He chucked on the ground and felt his backside for a moment. "Okay, ow."

"Nice one." Sam said smiling.

I shrugged, pulling him up from the ground. "Least I didn't break your nose."

"Yeah, but you did manage to hurt my ass." Dean said and grimaced.

"Must be all that ego weighing you down." Sam said.

Dean turned and glared at him. "Turn around; you've got mud on you." I said and he turned.

I brushed the mud off his pants and jacket and he turned around quickly, grabbing my hands. For a moment I thought had done something wrong but he just smiled and I rolled my eyes. "Remember the thing I said about the obsession with my ass?"

I grinned. "Now, how do I get out of this one?" I asked, watching him lock his hands around mine.

"Oh, very simple." He said smiling and brought his face closer to mine. "You don't."

He kissed me gently on the lips and eventually let my hands go so I could bring my arms up around his neck. He put his own arms around my waist and lifted me so my legs were now tightly around him.

Sam let out a breath between his lips and I could literally hear the eye roll, but I knew he was smiling slightly.

I was pushing my lips desperately harder against his and he brought his hand up to hold my head as we backed up against the car. Was the car door already open? My eyes weren't open and I could feel Dean shift backwards and suddenly we were lying down on the inside of the car.

I sat up and smiled at him as I stroked his face. "I love you." I said softly.

He sat up on his elbows and pulled my face back down on him. "I love you too." He said against my lips.

It was nearing Midnight.

O0o0o0o0o

"Maybe we can tell them there's a gas leak. Might get 'em out of the house for a few hours." Sam said hopeful, glancing at Monica's house. It had been quiet the whole time we had been there and I was starting to fall asleep against Dean's chest in the back seat.

"Yeah, and how many times has that actually worked for us?" Dean asked and Sam said nothing, most likely defeated.

"Could always tell 'em the truth." Sam said slowly and I raised my eyebrows at that.

"They'll call the feds out on us for that one."

"Or a Phyc ward." Dean said thoughtfully. "Sam, we've only got one move, and you know it, all right? We've got to wait for that demon to show itself, and then we get it before it gets them."

It was like a very dangerous game of tag and shifted myself on Dean's chest, holding him around his waist. He kissed me on my forehead and continued to look out the window.

"I wonder how Dad's doing." Sam said suddenly. John hadn't been mentioned since he had left.

"I'd feel a lot better if we were there backin' him up." Dean said softly and I rubbed the sides of his waist tenderly.

"I'd feel a lot better if he were here backin' _us_ up." I said and Sam nodded.

I yawned loudly. "What time is it?" I asked Sam.

He checked his watch and sighed. "Nearing three."

Dean stroked my hair. "I know you're tired, but you can't go to sleep alright?"

I nodded and sat up off of him, stretching. "I know. We have energy drinks in the trunk right?"

Sam nodded. "I think so."

I opened the car door. "Anyone want one?" I asked them both and they nodded. "Okay, three battery acid filled energy drinks coming up."

Dean smiled slightly as I closed the door. Honestly, I think I was overly too worried and anxious to actually fall asleep. Not that Dean's arms weren't comforting but this fight was huge and who knew what could be lost tonight. I wished for Dean and Sam that their father was here and I wished for mine. I wasn't much of a prayer, what could God do when evil seemed to suffocate anything that was good, but I prayed for us.

I got back in the car and handed their drinks to them.

"This is weird." Sam said, popping his can open.

"What?" I asked.

"After all these years, we're finally here. It doesn't seem real."

"I was almost thinking the exact same thing." I said, taking a sip at the energy drink. I wrinkled my nose at the taste but took a huge gulp anyway. These things always tasted like battery acid and melted down candy.

"We just got to keep our heads and do our job like always." Dean said, trying to be hardass both Sam and I knew he wasn't.

"Yeah, but this isn't like always." I said slowly, trying to get a reaction from him. He didn't give me one though, just continued to look out the window.

I nudged his shoulder with my own and he raised his eyebrows at me as he turned. I gave him a soft smile, to be comforting and he smiled as well, giving me a small kiss.

"Dean, uh…" Dean turned to look at Sam. "I wanna thank you."

Dean looked at him confused. "For what?"

"For everything. You've always had my back, you know? I just wanted to let you know—just in case." Sam sputtered out.

No, we were not going to do this. No one was saying goodbye, not while I was in the damn car. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you kiddin' me?" I asked, a bit miffed.

"What?" Sam turned around to look at us.

"Don't say, "Just in case somethin' happens to you", I don't wanna hear that freakin' speech, man. Nobody's dyin' tonight." Dean swore. "Not us, not that family, nobody—except that demon. That evil son of a bitch ain't gettin' any older than tonight, you understand me?"

Sam nodded meekly and muttered something.

"What was that?" I asked him.

"Jerk." He replied louder.

"Whiner." I said, even though he hadn't been talking to me.

"Brat." Dean concluded.

"Bitch." I called him.

Sam started laughing and I smiled slightly, shaking my head and sipping the battery acid. Dean chuckled and pulled me close to him, almost spilling the drink.

He caught my lips in his and kissed softly. I ran my one hand over his cheek as I kissed him, like I would suddenly forget what he looked like if I didn't follow the contour of his face.

He pulled away and looked at me slowly. He knew what I was doing but didn't say anything out loud about it. He just gave me a knowing look and kissed my shoulder, rubbing his nose over the spot his lips touched.

Sam pulled out his cell phone, I'm guessing to call his dad. "Dad's not answering." He said quietly, shutting it.

I shrugged. "Maybe Meg was late. Maybe cell reception's bad." I said optimistically, even though I felt the farthest from feeling that way.

Dean was about to say something when the car radio suddenly turned on, full of static.

"Listen." Sam said, trying to tune the radio but the reception was completely gone. The leaves outside began to blow around and the lights in the houses began to flicker rapidly. "It's coming." Sam said frantically.

We all hurried out the car, grabbing weapons. Sam had the Colt in his pocket and Dean and I had Holy Water, even though we had a feeling it wouldn't do any good.

This was it. I wished for some reason that I would have made an effort to tell these two how much they meant to me, just in case. Because I never got to tell my father.

O0oo0o0o

Dean picked the lock and we entered the house quietly and carefully. But the flickering lights and movement from outside had alarmed Monica's husband and he had been walking around his house. So when we rounded the corner he attacked us with a baseball bat, screaming for Monica to grab the baby.

Dean quickly pinned him against the wall while Sam tried to reason with him but he just continued to holler for Monica to run and grab Rosie.

"No, don't go in the nursery!" Sam screamed following Monica upstairs. I followed Sam while Monica's husband screamed for us to stay away from her.

We rounded the stairs and ran into the nursery. I'm guessing Sam's vision was coming true because Monica was pinned to the wall and the demon turned to look at us. Sam shot at the damn thing with the Colt but it dissolved in a cloud of black smoke. When it disappeared Monica sank to the ground.

"Where the hell did it go?" Sam asked me and I helped Monica to her feet and started rushing her out of there as Dean rounded the corner.

I heard him yell to Sam to come on and suddenly Monica screamed about her baby. I rushed her down the stairs nonetheless. "Dean's got her." I promised.

The bedroom window exploded from fire starting up in the nursery just as Monica and I ran from the house. It sent debris and glass everywhere and it showered on Sam and Dean as they ran out.

"You get away from my family!" Her husband screamed at us.

"Charlie, don't! They saved us." Monica said, taking Rosie from Dean. Dean nodded at her as he handed the baby over. "They saved us." She said, crying and kissing her baby.

Charlie just looked at us slowly and nodded. "Thank you."

We all turned to look at the nursery and I could literally feel Sam's widen as we saw the silhouette of the demon through the broken window.

Sam was starting to run towards the front door. "It's still in there." He seethed.

I came in front of him to stop him. "Sam, no!"

Sam was wrenching me off of him and Dean stepped foreword and pulled him off of me, using more force to push him away from the house.

"Dean, let me go! It's still in there!"

"Burning to the ground—it's suicide!" Dean spat at him.

"I don't care!" Sam bellowed, tears coming to his eyes as he looked to the window.

"We do!" I yelled, looking at Sam.

They let go of one another and the demon once more disappeared. Everyone was staring at each other angrily. Angry at each other; at our failure. But not one of us could be angry at the sight of Monica holding her baby and her husband kissing her forehead.

We didn't come out of this completely empty handed.

O0o0o0o0

The drive to the motel room was worse than before. Sam was in the back, kind of slinking into the corner of the car. He was upset and you could tell he was trying hard not to cry.

I sighed turning into the parking lot and parked the car. Sam got out first, slamming the door.

Dean winced as I pulled the keys out of the ignition. "He'll be okay." I said as I handed them to him.

He nodded and pocketed the keys. He grabbed my hand and kissed it. "You okay?" he asked me.

I nodded and kissed his cheek. "Peachy."

"Right…" He drawled as we got out of the car. "Feel like you need a drink and yet you kind of want to vomit at the thought?"

I turned and nodded at him and he put an arm over my shoulder as we made our way to the room. "Glad that's the general feeling tonight."

When I closed the motel door Dean tried calling his dad's cell repeatedly. When he didn't answer after the fifth call I was starting to get worried.

Dean was way past that point. "Come on, Dad. Answer your phone, damn it." He hung up and looked at Sam. "Something's wrong." Sam didn't answer him and just sat on the bed.

He needed to stop acting like he was freaking four. "Did you hear him?" I asked. "Something's happened."

"If you two had just let me go in there, I could have ended all this."

I rolled my eyes at this whole hero complex he seemed to have developed. "Sam, the only thing you would have ended was your life."

"You don't know that."

"So, what, you're just willing to sacrifice yourself, is that it?" Dean asked, clearly pissed.

Sam stood, like that was challenging Dean or something. "Yeah. Yeah, you're damn right I am."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Well, that's not gonna happen—not as long as I'm around. If huntin' this demon means you gettin' yourself killed, then I hope we never find the damn thing." Dean swore.

"That thing killed Jess. That thing killed Mom." Sam answered, infuriated that Dean was being so nonchalant about this whole thing.

I stood back and watched them both carefully. Dean just turned around and looked at Sam. "You said yourself once….that no matter what we do, they're gone. And they're never comin' back."

Suddenly, Sam snapped and grabbed Dean by the shirt, harshly pushing him against the wall.

"Hey!" I yelled, moving to get between them. "Sam stop!"

"Don't you say that!" Sam shouted, his voice betraying the fact that he sounded angry. He was close to breaking, you could hear it. "Don't you—not after all this, don't you say that!"

"Stop it, get off of him!" I said finally prying Sam off of Dean. I breathed heavily against Dean and he pushed me aside gently.

"Sammy, look….the four of us—that's all we have." Dean said emotionally. "And that's all I have." I grabbed Dean's hand and squeezed it. "Without you and Andy and Dad…"

Sam backed up and turned away from us. I wrapped an arm around Dean and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Dad…" Sam said suddenly. "He should have called by now. Try him again."

Dean nodded and went to pick us his cell off the bed. He dialed John's number and let it ring. He looked hopeful for a moment and Sam and I guessed someone answered.

But Dean looked up at us, infuriated. "Where is he?"

You could hear Meg's voice even though the phone wasn't on speaker. "You're never gonna see your father again."

0o0o0o0o0o

:D


	51. Chapter 50: Devils Trap Part 1

Okay, i was told not to make this a countdown of how many chapters are left lol :) so i won't.

thank you to all my reviewers! especially, **supernaturalobbsessed, Winchesters Gurl, hanaharoo, red-sky-bela, 101mizzpoet101, electrogirl88, hasiba**, and **Living.By.Will.**

you guys make my day :D

this chapters for you! enjoy!

Chapter 50: Devils Trap Part 1

Previously:

Dean nodded and went to pick us his cell off the bed. He dialed John's number and let it ring. He looked hopeful for a moment and Sam and I guessed someone answered.

But Dean looked up at us, infuriated. "Where is he?"

You could hear Meg's voice even though the phone wasn't on speaker. "You're never gonna see your father again."

O0o0o0o0o0

Dean stood from the bed, the phone slowly lowering from his ear. Meg had hung up five minutes ago and he was staring off into the distance like he couldn't believe what she had just said.

"Dean?" I asked, concerned.

"They've got Dad." Dean said suddenly, like Sam and I hadn't pulled that together already.

I nodded and looked to Sam. "What'd Meg say?"

"I just told you." He snapped, wiping for invisible moisture under is eyes.

He took a breath to calm down and looked at the both of us again. He then went past us and grabbed the Colt and put it in his back pocket. He was moving hurriedly around the room, gathering things up and shoving them into duffel bags. Sam and I stood there shifting on our feet, watching each other and watching him. We didn't know what to do; start to frantically pack things like he was or just stand there? We didn't know exactly what was going on and how we were going to handle it and I could tell neither of us wanted to ask Dean again.

Finally Sam spoke up; his voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing, Dean?"

"We gotta go."

Sam looked at me. My turn. "Why?"

Dean looked at me like I had grown another ear and threw my duffel at me to pack. He'd been doing it before but now since I spoke up he figured I could do it and get the point. "Because the demon knows we're in Salvation, all right? It knows we've got the Colt, it's got Dad, it's probably comin' for us next."

He pulled on his leather jacket and looked at us wide eyed. He motioned to us and moved his hands to point out our stuff that was still lying in piles. "Well don't all move at once."

I could literally feel the statement form before Sam said it and I rubbed my hand over my face as it came from his mouth. "We've still got three bullets left. Let it come."

Dean stopped moving around, looking at Sam carefully. I could tell he just wanted to throttle him unconscious just on the precipice that he wanted to get out of there. He took a deep calming breath again and shifted his hands into small fists. "Listen, tough guy, we're not ready! We don't know how many of 'em are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead."

He picked up my bags and pulled on my arm right on out the door, making me wince. "We're leaving." Sam had no choice but to grab his own bags and follow. "Now."

O0oo0o0o0

"Ow, Dean, stop." I said as we got down to the car. He wasn't listening and just kept on pulling. I didn't think he was doing it on purpose, he looked like he was daydreaming as he hoisted the bags off his shoulder and into the trunk.

I was just going to let him hold onto me until we got in the car because some reason I sifted down a deeper meaning to the reason he was holding onto me so tight. But as he turned to get into the car he shifted my arm in a direction it didn't necessarily go and I yelped in pain, pulling my arm from him.

He turned suddenly, aware of what he'd done. "Sorry." He said quietly, looking at me with eyes full of concern. I was afraid. They'd been nearly emotionless when he'd been hauling the bags in the trunk. "I didn't mean to—I wasn't paying attention."

I nodded slightly as Sam approached the car. "You're too tense." I said suddenly. "You shouldn't be driving. Why don't you have Sam drive for a while?" I asked, rubbing his shoulder.

He looked at me for a moment and nodded once, handing the keys to Sam. He crawled in the back with me and I made him lean against me while I tried to get some of the knots out of his neck and shoulders.

"I'm tellin' you, Dean, we could've taken him." Sam said, turning onto the highway.

It seemed every time Sam said something my work on getting Dean to relax was being undone. I just felt his shoulders tighten up again.

Luckily Dean was a bit passed answering Sam with a banter that went on for ten minutes and made everyone's ears hurt. He just plain ignored him. "What we need is a plan. Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we've just got to figure out where. They'll want to trade him for the gun."

I noticed Sam shaking his head. "What?" I asked.

"Dean, if that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade?" Sam asked quietly, Dean said nothing and I squeezed his shoulder. "Dad….he might be—"

Dean shot foreword and gripped the seat. "Don't!"

Sam sighed angrily. "Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job."

"Screw the job, Sam!" I said seeing how much he was upsetting Dean. I tried pulling on his shoulders to come back and lean on me but he was holding onto the seat and I couldn't get him to budge.

"Dean, I'm just tryin' to do what he would want." Sam tried reasoning.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my comments to myself. Why the hell would Sam give a damn with what John wanted? Following what he would want now was just acting like he was dead and Dean wouldn't have any of that.

"Would you quit talkin' about him like he's dead already?" Dean yelled but you could hear the hint of desperation in his voice. "Listen to me! Everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything!"

The car was silent for a moment and all you could hear was Dean breathing heavily and the engine of the car. I sat up in my seat and massaged his shoulder, leaving butterfly kisses along his face. That seemed to calm him down enough to let go of the vise grip he had on the seat and I put my arm around him as he sank back into the leather of the seat.

"So, how do we find him?" I asked them calmly.

Dean sighed and I could tell he was almost thoroughly defeated. "We need help."

O0o0o0o0o0

We pulled into a hidden driveway along the highway. It'd taken us two hours to get to Bobby's and all of us were tired. I tried to think back to when any of us had had any decent amount sleep but I couldn't think of it. I glanced out the window at the small rundown house Bobby Singer lived in. There were tons of old cars, just as ramshackle as the house. Car parts were scattered along the lawn and on the hood of a blue pickup truck sat a Chocolate lab dog.

I got out of the car and approached the dog. "Dean." I smiled and rubbed behind its ears affectionately.

"What?" Dean asked and I turned around and shook my head.

"Remember the dog I named after you?" He nodded and I could tell he wanted to smile at the memory of when I had told him. "My dad gave him to Bobby." I smiled as the dog rubbed its nose against my hand and Dean stood and watched me pet the dog for a moment. "Except his nametag says his name is now Rumsfeld."

I squinted at the tag and laughed slightly. Yeah, that's definitely what it said. Now Dean did laugh, reaching past me to scratch the dog along its belly. "Yeah, that sounds like a name Bobby would give a dog."

I shrugged, pulling my hand away and the dog whined. "I liked Dean better."

Dean smirked, putting an arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. "Good to know." He said and kissed the side of my head. "Come on, let's get inside."

I nodded and let Dean pull me towards the front door and I took one last look back at the dog. I hoped Bobby had some sort of allergy pill in his cabinet. I could feel my nose start to stuff up as we got closer to the house. I had forgotten all about my allergies while petting him.

"Hey there Bobby." Dean said smiling as we opened the front door. Sam had been in there on the couch enjoying a beer while we'd been outside.

"Hey Dean." He gave him the manliest side hug I'd ever seen and handed him a beer, which Dean took gratefully.

"And do my eyes deceive me? Andy Core?" He asked looking over me and Dean squeezed my side one more time before letting go to join Sam on the couch.

I nodded and grinned at Bobby. He always gave me this sort of grandpa feeling, even though he wasn't much older than John. I gave him the biggest hug and he squeezed me happily. "It's good to see you Bobby. It's been too long."

He nodded. "I haven't seen you since you were…" he thought a moment. "I want to say fourteen." His eyes clouded when he remembered what happened one year later. "I was sorry to hear about your dad."

I smiled sadly. "Its okay, got the damn thing that did it. Shot the Windego straight through its chest with a flare; lit up like firewood." I remembered fondly and Bobby smiled. It'd be a smile that a father would give his child when he was proud. I could tell by the way he looked at me that he knew I wasn't really sure that I had killed the Windego that had actually killed my father. But I spent my revenge by killing that one in the woods and that was good enough for me to move on so he didn't make any side comment about it.

I rubbed my nose for a moment. "Do you have any type of allergy pill? I forgot I'm allergic to Dean." I shook my head. "I mean Rumsfeld."

Bobby looked at Dean and Sam chuckled. "She's allergic to cockiness."

I smiled as Dean glared at Sam and shoved him, almost making Sam spill his beer. Bobby shook his head entertainingly and motioned to the bathroom. "Yeah, check the cabinet."

I nodded and headed into the bathroom to look. I could still hear the guys as I searched through the cabinet. Bobby had given Dean Holy Water and Dean thanked him for helping us, especially since the last time we had shown up here Bobby had threatened John with a shotgun.

I, for some reason, remember that situation and laughed. I couldn't recall what John had done to make Bobby so angry but I did remember Sam, Dean and I sitting in the Impala and John suddenly came bolting from Bobby's house, almost tripping down the porch stairs. Bobby was yelling that if he ever came back here he'd blast him full of buckshot. I chuckled softly; he had cocked the shotgun and everything. I had only saw John with fear in his eyes a few times and that was one of them. It was a nice reminder that he wasn't such a hardass like he played off to be.

I finally found the small bottle of pills and took two out. I filled up a cup of water and swigged them down in one smooth gulp. I sighed, placing the pills back in the cabinet and shut the door. I ran a hand through my hair, pushing some of it behind my ears. I looked tired. There were dark circles under my eyes and a headache was starting pinch its way behind my eyelids. But none of this mattered now. Not how tired I was or how frustrated Dean was or how angry Sam was we weren't doing what he thought was right. None of it mattered until we got John back.

"Bobby, this book…" Sam said as I came out of the bathroom. "I've never seen anything like it."

"The Key of Solomon?" Bobby asked. "It's the real deal, all right."

I moved over to where Sam was and picked up one of the books. I didn't really know what it was but I wanted to look at it anyways. It was then I noticed how many books were stacked in the room we were in. Everywhere you turned there was a stack of at least ten books. They were all in a circle too. None were around the desk Sam was sitting at and none of them were around the entrance to the bathroom or the dining room.

I flipped through the pages and looked at Dean sprawled out on the couch, relaxing. Or trying to at least. We weren't going to get much rest or sleep for that matter until we found John. He sat up and shifted over so I could sit next to him.

"These protective circles—they really work?" Sam was asking as I sat down.

"Hell, yeah." Bobby laughed. "You get a demon in one, they're trapped—powerless. It's like a satanic roach motel."

I opened the book and looked at a few pages. It was in Latin and that's all I could really decipher. I hated when you knew what language was in front of you when you looked at it but you didn't know how to read it. I knew some words and I could read Spanish but I never learned Latin, for some reason. Dean didn't know it either but Sam could read it and knew what it meant.

Dean leaned against me and rested his head against mine, looking at the pages that I was. I felt his breath hit my chest and it tickled the skin right above my breasts.

"You reading the book or looking down my shirt?" I asked, making him smile.

He kissed my collar bone and nuzzled his nose against my neck. I moved one of my hands from the book and ran it over his thigh.

"I'll tell you somethin' else, too—this is some serious crap you guys stepped in." Bobby said suddenly, looking at all of us.

"Yeah? How's that?" I asked, continuing to stroke Dean.

"Normal year, I hear, say, three demonic possessions, maybe four, tops. This year, I've heard of twenty-seven so far."

I looked down at the book, remembering Paul at the bar. It made me feel sympathetic for him. He hadn't been a full fledged demon. He was a person, trapped within his own body. I shook my head, letting out a small sigh. When the demon pulled himself from him in the parking lot he probably died.

"Why is it happening?" I asked in a small voice.

Bobby shrugged. "I have no idea. But a storm's comin'. And you guys, your daddy—you are smack in the middle of it."

Dean, Sam and I exchanged worried looks. Suddenly Rumsfeld started barking frantically outside and Dean and I rose slowly from the couch. Bobby went towards the window and the dog made a sickening noise, like it just got hit by a car. I winced against the noise and Dean's hand came down to squeeze mine. When Bobby pulled back the window curtain Rumsfeld was no where to be seen.

"Something's wrong." Bobby said, even though I'm sure by then it was obvious to all of us.

Suddenly the front door banged open and Meg stalked in. She cocked her blonde head towards us. "No more crap, okay?" She asked us, amusement clearly not present in her voice.

Dean let go of my hand and sprung the Holy Water from his pocket that Bobby had given him. Meg had seen it coming though and flung him against the nearest wall and he collapsed against a stack of books on the way to the floor.

"Dean!" I screamed but it was out of instinct and I shouldn't have said anything, it didn't help. I tried backing up slowly to reach Dean but Meg began moving her finger at me.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." She warned and I stopped in my tracks. "I want the Colt, Sam—the real Colt. Right now." She wasn't playing, you could tell in her voice.

"We don't have it on us. We buried it." I shrugged. "Looks like you're just going to have to deal with the one you have."

She smiled at me, slowly. Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted from the floor and I was thrown across the room, just as Dean had been.

Sam however screwed the consequences and ran over to help me up. "I was pretty sure I said, "No more crap"?" She said.

I leaned against Sam as he helped me off the floor. For a throw across the room I wasn't that hurt. I would have rolled my eyes at the irony if Meg hadn't been stalking towards us. I got hurt from being hit against a cage but a throw across the room and I was fine.

"I swear, after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I've got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First, Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you three chuckleheads."

She came as close to us as she could without touching us and I was starting to feel the impact of my fall in my chest. "I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" she asked cockily and I smiled as Dean appeared behind her. Bobby must have helped him get up when Sam came to help me.

"Actually, we were counting on it." Dean said as Sam pulled me away from Meg and to where Dean was.

He looked up at the ceiling and so did she. Meg seemed to sizzle upon seeing the protective circle above her head. She moved her head back down, royally pissed off.

Dean smiled. "Gotcha."

O0o0o0o0

"Where's Sam and Bobby?" I asked Dean as he came into the kitchen.

"Tying up Meg." He said and groaned as he irritated his side by sitting down in one of the chairs.

I got a package of frozen peas out of the freezer and handed it to him. He nodded in thanks and I kissed his forehead. He positioned the bag under his shirt and near his ribs.

"See what happens when you try to take on too many books at once?" I asked him. "They attack you and bruise your ribs."

Dean nodded, smiling slightly at the horrible joke. "Yeah, I'll remember that next time I'm being thrown into books alright?" I smiled and nodded. "What about you? You okay?"

"Mm-hmm. Nothing a little kiss won't cure." I said leaning against his shoulder.

"That'll make everything all better, hmm?" He asked me, cocking his head to the side.

I nodded and he complied, pushing his lips against mine. I'd never felt lips like his before. They were full, warm and amazingly soft. I wouldn't trade the heat his lips brought against my skin for anything.

Sam cleared his throat and Dean pulled away to look at him. He gave us a look that said, _Seriously? We've got a demon tied in a Devil's Trap one room away and you're making out?_

Dean shrugged and pursed his lips. He motioned to me and scrunched his eyebrows. Easily said; _Are you serious? Look at her._

I smiled slightly, blushing. "Come on, Sam's right." I said, taking Dean's hand and pulling him up from the chair. "Let's talk to Meg."

Honestly, I felt better now that Dean had kissed me. It always felt like Dean's lips held some type of drug, something filled with euphoria and relaxants. It sounded cliché but I couldn't help it; that's just what Dean did to me.

O0o0o0o

We walked into the room slowly and observed Meg tied to a chair underneath the Devil's Trap. Sam, Bobby and I stood back while Dean dared to get closer. Hell, he was even willing to walk right up to her face. It wasn't like she could do anything to him, her powers were neutralized inside the trap, but still it unnerved me to get that close.

"Where's our father, Meg?" Dean asked. His voice was gruff but calm.

Meg cocked her head to the side. "You didn't ask very nice."

Dean nodded and I could tell she was slowly eating away at his patience. "Where's our father, bitch?"

"Jeez, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Meg asked. "Oh, I forgot. You don't."

Dena leaned in close to her face, gripping the sides of the chair she was tied to. "Hey, you think this is a friggin' game?!" He screamed. I looked at Sam worriedly and he shook his head at me to move. "Where is he?! What did you do to him?"

"He died screaming." Meg answered, her face going closer. Her voice reminded me of the sound of boiling water. "I killed him myself." She gave him a wicked smile and Dean stood up slowly, seething with anger. Suddenly he turned around and backhanded her.

"Dean!" I screamed. I looked at Sam and Bobby shocked; their faces mirrored mine.

I don't think the smile ever left her face even though blood was slowly leaking onto her tongue and teeth. "Must be a turn on for you…hitting a girl." Meg spat blood on the floor. "I wonder how your girlfriend feels about that."

Dean turned to look at me and it looked like he hadn't remembered I was even there. His eyes looked confused; like he didn't know what emotion to feel first. He looked like he was sorry but not for hitting Meg, sorry that I had seen him do it. I knew Dean would never hurt me; ever. But seeing him violently hit Meg like that chilled me to the bone and I shivered involuntarily, stepping back from the room.

"Dean." Bobby called quietly and Dean went out of the room and near Bobby.

"You okay?" Sam asked him.

"She's lying, he's not dead." Dean barked, running a hand over his face.

"Dean, you've got to be careful with her. Don't hurt her." Bobby said and Dean almost scoffed ironically.

"Why?"

"Because she really is a girl, that's why. She's possessed. That's a human possessed by a demon, can't you tell?"

I shook my head no, looking at Meg, who was visibly shaking in the chair. "No, we couldn't tell. There was a guy at this bar who had been possessed too and we didn't know until his eyes turned black."

"You're tryin' to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?" Dean asked, pointing at Meg and Bobby nodded slowly. A flash of concern crossed Dean's face and he looked thoughtful. "That's actually good news. I'll be right back." Dean said, crossing the room to head out front.

He passed me and the wind from his body hit against me, making me shiver again. I shook my head running my hands over my arms.

"You alright?" Sam asked me, putting his jacket over my shoulders.

I nodded. "I've never seen Dean like that."

"Scared you?" His voice was barely above a whisper and I shrugged, not really wanting to admit that he did. He ran his hands over my shoulders and squeezed me empathetically.

From the other room I heard Meg start to chuckle. "What are you laughing at?" I asked. "I don't see how anything can be funny in the situation you're in."

"What's the matter Andy? Aren't you happy to see me?"

I chuckled humorlessly as I heard Dean come back in the front door. "Should I be?"

"Didn't you enjoy my gift?" She asked.

I looked at Sam and Dean confused. "Your gift?"

"Your father?" She asked.

"You did that?" I asked, suddenly filled with anger. "You son of a bitch!" I tried walking towards her. I didn't know what the hell I was going to do but I knew how Dean had felt not moments before because now _I_ wanted to hit her. And I would have if Dean hadn't come right in the front of me and held me back.

"Stop, Andy, come on. She's pulling your chains on purpose." Dean said, holding my shoulders tightly. I tried struggling against him but he just kept holding on. "Stop." He said gently, squeezing my shoulders.

"Aw Dean, so you're allowed to hit a girl but she's not?" Meg asked amused.

"Shut up, bitch!" Dean grit out and I sighed, pushing back from him.

Dean motioned to Sam and handed his father's journal to him. Sam, picking up on what Dean wanted, turned to the right page. I sat down on the couch in the room with all the books and Bobby handed me a cup of water. I hadn't even realized he had left the room to get it for me.

"Thanks." I said, taking a sip.

I had a full view of what Sam and Dean were doing in the other room and I set the glass down on the floor and watched.

"Are you gonna read me a story?" She asked Sam and Dean chuckled darkly.

"Somethin' like that. Hit it, Sam."

Sam started reading Latin from his father's journal and I stood to make my way across the room. I leaned against the doorframe, while Bobby stood and leaned on the other side.

Meg looked at Dean. "An exorcism? Are you serious?"

"Oh, we're goin' for it, baby—head-spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards."

As Sam continued reading Meg suddenly grimaced and moaned in pain, I just hoped the girl inside her wasn't getting hurt by all this. But then it occurred to me, the girl wouldn't be alive if this demon was expelled…she fell out of a seven story window. I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair.

"I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna rip the bones from your body. Starting with Andy there so you can watch." She told Dean tauntingly and Dean grabbed the chair again.

"You're not going to touch her. You're gonna burn in hell—unless you tell us where our dad is."

Meg started trembling and screamed in pain as Sam continued reading. She clenched her teeth and looked up at Dean. "He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time." Then she smiled. "That's when I slit his throat."

Dean got in close to Meg's face again and I was afraid he was going to loose it. "For your sake, I hope you're lying."

Suddenly the pages in the stacks of books started turning on their own, as if wind was blowing through the house. Sam hesitated, watching the site but then pushed through, reading more of the Latin. Meg continued to shudder and she screamed again, making my ears hurt enough to bleed.

"Where is he?" Dean asked.

Meg groaned. "You just won't take "dead" for an answer, will you?"

Dean almost grabbed her. "Where is he?!"

"Dead!" Meg bellowed.

"No, he's not! He's not dead, he can't be!" Dean yelled just as loud, tears threatening to take over his vision. Sam stopped reading, looking at him worriedly. "What are you lookin' at? Keep reading."

Sam nodded his head and continued and I stepped closer to Dean, not knowing whether I should touch him. I decided to risk it and moved to touch his shoulder. He shied away from me, moving to the other side of Meg.

Sam's reading was finally starting to take effect and the lights started to flicker on and off as Meg screamed. Her chair moved violently around in the confines of the circle.

"A building!" She finally screamed and Sam stopped reading. "Okay? A building in Jefferson City." She was trembling with sweat and blood was starting to drip from her nose.

I came closer to the chair and to the Winchesters while Bobby still stood back and watched. "Missouri? Where, where? An address!" Dean asked desperately. "Where's the demon we're looking for?"

"I don't know, I swear! That's everything. That's all I know." Her head bowed in the chair. She was crying and overly exhausted.

Dean scoffed, seeming to be disgusted. "Finish it."

For some reason she looked up at me with the alarmed face. What the hell did she want me to do about it? "What? I told you the truth!"

"I don't care." I could see little bits of humanity trickle away.

"You son of a bitch. You promised." Meg seethed at Dean.

Dean got close to Meg's face again, bellowing out, "I lied!" He leaned up and looked at Sam. "Sam?"

Sam said nothing and looked at me; he could see it too. "Sam!" Dean said more forcefully. He walked over to him and pushed the book. "Read."

"We can still use her—find out where the demon is." Sam said slowly.

"Have you both lost it?" I asked, making them both look at me. I walked up to them and pointed at Meg. "There's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there. We've got to help her."

"You're gonna kill her." Bobby spoke up.

"It's better than suffering." I said softly. Maybe we were all losing it. After all these years of putting up with this job, I wasn't surprised. Not one of us had the compassion we had started out with, we just hadn't noticed we'd been loosing it. Bit by bit and piece by piece.

"What?" Dean asked, confused. He looked at me and I shrugged, letting Bobby take over the explanation.

"You said she fell from a building. That girl's body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it, the girl is gonna die." Bobby said slowly.

I swallowed painfully and I felt like I was going to be sick as I looked at Meg.

"We can't leave her like that." I said quietly and I could see Dean nod his head in agreement.

"She's a human being." Bobby argued.

"And we're gonna put her out of her misery." Dean spat. Bobby said nothing; what could he possibly say? There was nothing else we could do. I wanted to feel like putting Meg out of her misery was a humane thing to do. It sounded justified but it didn't feel like it.

"Sam, finish it." Dean ordered.

Sam finished the Latin and on his last word Meg's body twitched and her eyes turned coal black. She tilted her head to the ceiling and let out a long, loud scream as black smoke erupted from her throat. The demon disappeared into the fireplace and Meg's head drooped forward. The room was deathly quiet and blood was seeping from Meg's mouth.

"Is she…?" I asked quietly, moving towards Meg. Suddenly Meg lifted her head and coughed slightly. "She's still alive."

Dean looked to Bobby. "Call 911. Get some water and blankets." Bobby nodded and hastily left the room to retrieve the items.

Sam and I went towards her to untie her ropes. "Thank you." She said weakly.

"Shh, shh...just take it easy, all right?" Sam tried to sooth as we undid her ropes. "Shh."

"Come on. Let's get her down." Dean said. We all tried lifting her from the chair and I let Dean and Sam take care of it. They gently lifted her and she groaned in pain. Sam apologized repeatedly as they laid her down on the floor. I took off Sam's jacket and created a small pillow for her head.

"A year." She croaked.

"What?" I asked her, kneeling down to stroke her hair.

"It's been a year."

I felt tears seep to my eyes as Sam shushed her. "Shh, shh, just take it easy."

"Was it telling us the truth about our dad?" Dean asked.

I looked at Dean, shocked at the words coming from him. This girl was _dying_, right in front of us, and Dean wanted information? I wanted to hit him, hard, and right across his face.

"Dean." Sam said, apparently appalled as well.

"We need to know." Dean said forcefully.

Meg nodded as Bobby returned with the blankets and water. Sam covered her and I lifted her head as gently as I could so she could sip the water. She coughed and sputtered on it. "Yes. But it wants you to know….that they want you to come for him."

"Where's the demon we're looking for?" Now Sam was starting and all of it was truly upsetting.

"Knock it off!" I said, tears flowing freely down my face.

"Not there….other ones—awful ones." Meg continued, despite my tears. She was stronger than me.

"Where are they keeping our dad?" Dean asked.

"By the r-river." She paused and coughed. "Sunrise."

"Sunrise? What does that mean?" Dean asked but Meg was silent. "What does that mean?"

"You two are real pieces of work, you know that? She was dying and all you cared about was the _fucking_ demon?" I bit out, my tears turning into sobs. I wasn't being fair, I knew why they had to ask. I shook my head and covered my mouth with my hand as Dean and Sam both looked at me sympathetically.

Dean pulled me into his arms and I cried hard into his leather jacket as Sam covered Meg's body with a blanket. This job hadn't prepared me for things like this. I was so used to killing things that were less than human. It was bringing things too close to home and I couldn't help think of my dad. It was easier thinking Meg had been a demon but now I knew that we had basically killed an innocent girl. Wasn't it our fault that she had ended up out a seven story window?

"Shhhhh." Dean tried, stroking my hair.

"She was innocent." I sputtered out. My sobs had died down but my tears were still distorting my words.

"I know, I know." Dean said softly. How could they be so nonchalant like this? The words innocent and human kept playing over in my head like a broken record.

Bobby looked at me delicately as Sam stood up from Meg. "You better hurry up and beat it before the paramedics get here."

Dean nodded and wiped my tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "What are you gonna tell them?" He asked.

Sam came up behind me and hooked his hands underneath my shoulders to pull me up to stand. Dean got up after me and shifted his jacket off to put over my shoulders. "Take her out to the car will you?" Dean asked Sam and he nodded.

"Come on." Sam said, ushering me out of the room.

"You think you guys invented lyin' to the cops?" Bobby asked Dean as I walked past him. "I'll figure somethin' out." He handed the book Sam had been reading before and smiled at me comfortingly. "Here. Take this. You might need it."

I took one more look at Meg before Sam inched me to move towards the door. Bobby hugged me and I smiled half heartedly at him.

"Thanks….for everything. Be careful, all right?" I asked him and he nodded.

Bobby looked to Dean as Sam took me outside to the Impala. I heard him tell Dean to go find his dad and bring him around. He wouldn't even try to shoot him this time.

I wanted to laugh but it seemed to get caught in my throat. Sam gently put me in the back seat as Dean came out of Bobby's. My humanity felt gone. I swore it died with that girl in there.

0o0o0o0o0o

please review!


	52. Chapter 51: Devil's Trap Part 2

ooo, i mis calculated. that epsiode wasn't as long as i thought and this is the last chapter of season 1 D:

thank you to everyone who reviewed and read, i love all of you for it.

review if you want season 2 :D. if i get enough reviews, i may be able to start a few chapter before i leave for vacation :DDD

enjoy!

Chapter 51: Devil's Trap Part 2

Dean shifted in the seat next to me. I knew he was watching me look out the window. He'd attentively touch my leg or move the jacket back over my shoulder when it slid down.

"Hey…" He said and I turned my head to look at him. "You okay?"

My head didn't shake no or nod yes; I just kind of looked at him. "I'm…just trying to deal with things before we get to Jefferson City."

Dean nodded, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Everything will be okay, I promise."

I scoffed and he scrunched his eyebrows at me for a moment. I didn't mean to put his hopes down like that. He was actually building his confidence levels for whatever came next and there I was, knocking him back down again. But him saying that he promised for everything to be okay when we didn't know what to expect wasn't exactly comforting. Actually, it just sent my stomach reeling.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, seeing his expression. I moved closer to him and threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him. It took him a moment, I'm guessing he was building himself back up, but he put his arms around my waist and squeezed me just as tightly. He buried his face in my hair and whispered assurances; things I didn't want to hear but listened to anyways, his voice was comforting enough.

"You guys have been quiet." Sam said turning onto a small side road by the river.

"Where are we?" I asked, pulling back from Dean.

"Near Jefferson City, saw the population sign up ahead."

Sam parked the car and turned the engine off.

"Are we getting ready here or something?"

"If Meg was right we need to be on the lookout for anything that could explain Sunrise. We can walk from here."

"Oh can we?" I asked sarcastically, getting out of the car.

"Look, Andy, I get that you're upset okay?" Sam said as he and Dean got out of the car as well. "But you need to put it behind you. If we're gonna fight this demon and help my dad then we need you sharp."

I just shook my head at him. Put it behind me? Just forget all about it? It had only been somewhat of a person, I wanted to spat at him, I guess being possessed makes you less than human. So when someone dies right in front of you, with it being a year of them not really living at all, just sweep it past you. It doesn't matter. It was just a person at one point, a happy living _girl_ at one point. Right? Just forget about it.

I looked at Dean for a moment and as he opened the trunk of the car. He didn't say anything, hell; he didn't even look at me after Sam said that. He must have agreed with him. Well screw both of them, I wasn't just going to push this death behind me and forget all about it. I couldn't; it'd somehow be the end of me.

I turned on my heel to sit in the car. "Fuck you, Sam." I muttered.

"You didn't even know Meg, Andy. It's not like she was your best friend or anything." Sam retaliated, throwing harsh words at me. I'm guessing he heard the lovely word I had thrown at him. I stopped and turned to look at him carefully. His words felt like dirt being thrown into my face; right into my eyes.

"So I'm just supposed to forget about it like it never happened? The way you forgot all about Jessica?"

I could swear I saw Sam's eyes turn red. I hadn't meant to make him that angry; I was just trying to make a point. Jessica had been human and died a supernatural death. Did Sam forget all about her, just sweep it behind him? No, I knew for a fact he thought about her everyday. So when he came from behind the trunk like a bat outta hell and roughly grabbed my shirt, I just let him do it.

"Don't you dare talk about her!" Sam screamed; his angry breath hot on my face.

"Hey!" Dean yelled, finally seeming to pay attention to what was going on. Guess it took Sam slamming me up against the car for him to give a damn. "Sam, Sam!" Dean pried him off of me and he looked between the both of us. "What the hell is wrong with you two? Huh?"

Neither of us answered and I just sunk into the seat of the open passenger door.

"You two are so wrapped up in your own personal crap that if we find dad, you wouldn't be able to help him if you tried!" Dean looked at us both, angry and tired.

I felt bad now, but not for Sam. I meant every single word I had said to him. I was tired of apologizing for things that I had meant all along. I felt bad for making Dean have to yell at us like we were children. He had enough problems to worry about and I was just adding to it.

"He's gonna be fine, Dean." I said quietly.

But Dean didn't reply, he just scoffed angrily and returned to the trunk, Sam in his wake. Great, now both of them were angry at me. I shook my head and laid back in the seat as I listened to them. Dean was right, now was not the time to get wrapped up in my own problems. But then again wasn't Sam trying to say the same thing?

"Dude, what the hell are you drawin' on my car?" I heard Dean ask and I sat up in my seat to look out the door.

Sam was drawing some kind of symbol from the book he was holding. It looked like a pentagram, inside a circle with little do-dads surrounding it.

"What is that?" I asked him, rounding the car. He looked up at me once and then back down at the book.

"It's called a devil's trap. Demons can't get through it or inside it."

"So it basically turns the trunk into a lockbox." I said, thinking out loud.

Sam nodded. "That's the idea."

"So, we have a place to hide the Colt while we go get your dad?" I asked.

Dean whipped his head around so fast to look at me I thought he damn near broke his neck. "What are you talkin' about? We're bringin' the Colt with us."

Sam glanced at me. Maybe it was just me but it looked like he was begging me to take his side with this. "We can't, Dean. We've only got three bullets left."

I felt like I owed him, plus, I agreed with him. "We can't just use 'em on any demon, Dean." I said, looking over the trunk and at Dean. "We've got to use 'em on _the_ demon."

"What are you two best pals now?" He spat, looking between the both of us. "No, we have to save Dad, okay? We're gonna need all the help we can get."

I went to speak up again and Dean gave me this look that said, _'I really don't need this from you too, Andy'_. I rolled my eyes. So I was only allowed to say anything when my opinion meshed with his? I was only allowed to speak up when I agreed with him and it didn't make him angry? "Dean, you know how pissed your Dad would be if you used all the bullets."

"I don't care!" Dean yelled. He looked at me and I swear that glare he gave me was lethal. "And since when do you care what the hell he wants? Huh? You pickled a fight with him the last time we saw him, unless you don't remember the little love tap he gave you."

Sam interrupted Dean's rant. Great, now I needed Sam to come to my rescue. That made everything better. "She just pointing out that _we_ want to kill this demon. You used to want that, too! Hell, you're the one who came and got me at school! You're the one who dragged me back into this, Dean! I'm just tryin' to finish it!"

"Well, you and Dad are a lot more alike than I thought, you know that?" Dean asked Sam carefully. "You both can't wait to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But you know what? I'm gonna be the one to bury you." He said harshly, looking at me. It looked like he couldn't bear the thought and my heart suddenly shuddered and ached for him.

"Look," Sam said quietly. Like his voice alone would kill us. "They are expecting us to bring this gun. They get the gun, they will kill us all." He let that seep in for a moment before he continued, like none of us knew what death was and had to think about it. "That Colt is our only leverage, and you know it, Dean. We cannot bring that gun. We _can't_."

"Fine." Dean answered roughly and took the gun out of his pocket. He threw it in the trunk and slammed it closed. "You happy now?" He asked and walked past me.

I just shook my head and took off his leather jacket to place in the back seat. Yeah, I was flipping ecstatic.

O0o0o0o0

After Dean turned back around the lock up the car and truck we walked along the river and finally made it to this little boardwalk as we entered Jefferson City. It had been at least twenty minutes and no one said anything. We heard cars, other people and each other breathing but no one said anything.

"Okay…" I stopped, which made them both turn slowly. It made me feel like they didn't want to stop at all; they were so wound up with listening to themselves breathe and to keep what they really wanted to say at bay. "I know every one is mad at me." I started and Dean and Sam exchanged a glance. "And I'm sorry okay? That girl, I know I didn't know her but when she died, I felt something break. This job, it never really made me use to the fact that people could die right in front of me, and there was nothing I could to help her."

Sam looked at the ground and Dean shifted on his feet. I had made the whole situation worse; my mouth was known for that.

I just shook my head and sighed. "I'm sorry." I said again and went to walk between them to the end of the boardwalk. If I could write down how many times I had said I was sorry to these two, I could fill a book. Emotions were high and tensions were strung, it was hard not to burst out and say things to them when I thought it, whether it was intentional or not.

Dean came up behind me and grabbed my arm. For a moment, I thought he was angry. But when he turned me and I saw his face, it was pure need and love. He didn't want to be mad at me, this could be that last hurrah and no one wanted to regret anything. He pulled me tightly around him and kissed me deeply. I responded almost instantly, carefully sliding my tongue against his, smelling the musk and cinnamon flow off of him as the wind blew.

"You have no idea how much of a pain in the ass you are, do you?" He asked me, lowering his hands to knot them with mine.

I shook my head. "Makes you love me, right?" I asked him, my voice full of hope. I didn't think I could handle something less than a yes.

He shook his head. "No." And my breath caught in my throat. "Makes me love you all the more."

He ran his top teeth along his lips and gave me a long kiss on my forehead. "You do know I learned how to be this frustrating from you?"

He pulled back and chuckled softly. "That, I don't doubt. But you definitely learned to whine like that from Sammy."

I shoved him playfully and he laughed again; it was a nice sound to hear. When we found whatever Sunrise meant it'd be straight back to serious faces and tensions reaching their peaks.

"Guys." Sam said suddenly, making us pull apart and look at him. "I think I know what Meg meant by 'Sunrise'."

Dean's face fell and let go of my hand to head over where Sam was. I looked to the sky and cursed whatever god heard me think that last sentence and headed over to where they were. There was an apartment complex across the street and bingo; it was named 'Sunrise Apartments'.

I scoffed, looking at them. "Son of a bitch. That's pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people, they can possess almost anybody inside."

"Yeah. And make anybody attack us." Sam said, looking at the building and all the people that were outside. It, for some reason, sounded very sarcastic coming from him.

"And so we can't kill 'em—a building full of human shields." Dean said looking at me. Great, now I was nicknamed the tag 'Sympathy for possessed humans'.

"Stop looking at me like that." I muttered and Dean smiled, kissing the side of my head.

"They probably know exactly what we look like, too. And they can look like anybody." Sam said, leaning back and thinking.

"All right, so, how the hell are we gonna get in?" I asked them.

I could literally see their thinking caps go on. "Pull the fire alarm. Get out all the civilians." Dean thought.

"Okay, and then we have what? Seven minutes exactly until the city responds?" I asked and Sam nodded.

"Exactly seven minutes."

I let out a breath between my lips. Sam snuck out first, everyone silently choosing him to set off the alarm. We waited until he reached the building and I grabbed Dean's hand, squeezing it tightly.

Dean looked down at me, smiling comfortingly. "What, you're not scared are you?" He asked.

I leaned on his shoulder. He had no idea. "No." I lied.

He smiled and kissed my head. "Good girl." He muttered against my hair. "Me neither."

For some reason I got this extremely worrying pit in the bottom of my stomach and it felt like it lit my nerves on fire. Something bad was going to happen. And it wasn't me being paranoid either. I _knew_ it. Somehow, deep in my gut, I knew something bad was going to happen.

"Dean…" I said, making him look down at me once again.

"Yeah?"

Before the words could leave my lips the fire alarms rang out and Sam came out of the building not a moment after.

"Come on." Dean said, pulling me up off the ground.

I didn't get a chance to tell him but I chalked it all up to anxiety. I mean, of course my nerves were amped up to a ridiculous level. In seven minutes, all hell was going to break loose.

O0o0o0o0o

The fire trucks responded just as we planned they would, seven minutes later. Everyone that didn't want to burn alive gathered in front of the building. We joined the crowd, all having specific things to do.

Dean approached one of the firemen and acted like a civilian who was terribly worried about the Yorkie he had upstairs. I rolled my eyes and clutched the EMF in my hand as Sam and I snuck past the firemen and headed around back. We guessed Dean would join us in a few minutes.

I pulled on Sam's jacket as we headed towards the back. "Hey, fire escape?" I asked him. "It'd get us into the building faster?"

He nodded and hoisted me up in his arms to put me on the shaky fire escape. I opened one of the windows to the building and waited for him.

"Where's Dean?" I asked him.

Sam shrugged. "He'll be on his way."

"He better be. He apparently has a Yorkie that pees when it's nervous."

Sam smiled, following me out of the door and into the hallway of the apartment complex. We were halfway down the hallway when a fireman turned the corner and nearly knocked me over.

My heart jumped up in my throat and I could tell Sam was ready to knock him out. The firefighter put up his hands and removed his mask and I almost slapped him when I realized it was Dean.

"What?" He asked me as I put my hand over my heart.

"You scared the shit outta me, you ass."

Dean smiled and shrugged, putting the mask under his arm as we walked. "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."

"You never told us that." Sam griped as I put the EMF to each room, but still received nothing.

I shrugged. "I never told anyone I wanted to be a nurse."

"Like a really sexy naughty one?" Dean asked.

I rolled my eyes and Sam cleared his throat. "But you hate hospitals."

I shrugged. "It was before my mom died."

"You could still be one you know." Dean said thoughtfully. "I know exactly what store to go to."

"You know where that fire extinguishers going if you don't shut up?" I asked him, motioning to the extinguisher on his back.

Dean chuckled and shook his head, leaning over me to see the EMF meter. "Maybe we screwed up." I said and moved the meter to another door. It started beeping frantically and all of us exchanged a look. "Or, maybe not…"

0o0o0o0o0o

Suddenly the door unlocked and we pushed through it all at once. We temporarily threw the man and woman who were in our way off balance but then they just looked at us, eyes coal black, pissed off as ever. Dean started spraying both of them with the fire extinguisher and yelled for me and Sam to shove them into the closet. It took a lot of effort and pushing but we finally got them there and slammed the door shut. We held the door shut; the pounding and screaming make both of us wince as Dean poured a ring of salt around the door so neither of them could exit. Dean pulled off the firefighter uniform as Sam and I stepped around the circle.

I motioned to the bedroom and we cautiously started walking towards it. All our senses were peaked as we approached the room, just in case there was another demon or something else behind it. We entered the bedroom, pushing the door open slowly and there John was, tied to the bed.

"Dad?" Dean asked frantically, heading over to one side to untie him.

I checked the pulse in his neck, looking towards the ceiling as I tried to feel for a heartbeat. "He's still alive." I was about to help Dean untie his father when I saw Sam wasn't moving.

"Come on." I said.

"Wait." Sam said making Dean and I stop. "He could be possessed for all we know."

Dean's mouth literally gaped open. "What are you, nuts?"

I nodded, letting go of John. "He could be right. It doesn't hurt to make sure."

Sam took out the Holy Water as Dean stood back and sighed angrily. He thought this was a waste of time, which okay, it could have been. But it wouldn't do us any good to untie and haul him out of here if he was possessed. I watched Dean as Sam sprinkled Holy Water on John's face. He actually looked angry and offended that his dad could be possessed by a demon. It was a hard fact to face but possession could happen to anyone. We were learning that the hard way.

John didn't sizzle like we were preparing ourselves for. He coughed and opened his eyes. "Sam? Why are you splashin' water on me?" John asked.

All of us smiled, relieved. "Dad, you okay?" Dean asked, untying him.

"They've been druggin' me." John said, looking out the bedroom door. "Where's the Colt?"

"Don't worry, Dad. It's safe." Sam said as John sat up and Dean helped him up.

Something was tugging at me. Why would demons need to drug John? They were stronger than humans; they didn't need to drug him to keep him where they needed him. Maybe they were afraid that John would somehow would get out of the ropes, but that didn't make much sense either.

"Andy!" Dean screeched. I shook my head; so _not_ the time to loose your attention span.

Dean and Sam had John over their shoulders and needed me to open the window. I jumped over the bed and unlatched it. Dean passed John to me through the window and climbed out onto the fire escape.

"Sam! Let's go!" Dean yelled, taking John from me and descended the stairs.

I watched Sam haul himself out the window and heard pounding on the one of the doors in the room we were just in. He lined the window with salt before following me down the stairs.

We all got down to the lower level, Sam jumping down before me to catch me as I jumped. As soon as we started double backing to the car, someone came out of no where and hauled a punch right across Sam's face.

"Sam!" I screamed as he fell straight on the ground, blood pooling around his nose.

The guy, I'm assuming the bastard had black eyes, started punching Sam mercilessly. I ran and jumped onto the guys back, trying to wrench him off. Which was an entirely stupid idea since all he did was grab my arm and throw me back off of him. I sailed through the air, landing against the windshield of a nearby parked car.

I wasn't sure what had happened after that, I was trying to make sure none of the glass had punctured my back. Which luckily, I don't think any of it did. It did take me a moment to roll off the hood of the car and I landed harshly on the ground, glass following me.

I felt the glass seep into my arms and my hands from the impact of the fall, but it was nothing that I couldn't deal with. Suddenly, I heard a gunshot and I looked up to see Dean holding out the Colt. The fucking bastard had that damn gun the whole time. But then again, I guess that had been a good thing. But every bad situation that could have happened was now flashing itself through my head because Dean had had that gun on him.

The guy who had been attacking Sam fell to the ground, dead. Dean ran over to Sam and I picked myself up off the ground. He helped Sam to his feet and I groaned, removing little bits of glass from my hands and arms.

"You alright?" Dean asked Sam and Sam barely nodded. I winced as I saw his face. The poor thing had cuts and swells of skin. He looked like one giant bruise. "Andy?" Dean turned and looked around for me wildly.

I waved him down, coming closer. "I'm okay. Just a bit of glass."

Dean sighed in relief and kissed my forehead. "Help him okay?" Dean told me and I let Sam lean on me. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."

"You okay?" I asked him as I helped him over to where Dean was helping John up. Sam grunted in response and I laughed out of irony. I needed to learn to stop asking that.

O0o0o0o0

Dean managed to drive to a rundown building for us to hide out in. It was nearing night by the time we reached there and we started salting everything down. I sat Sam on the bed and put a cold cloth on his eye. It was swollen pretty badly and I handed him the Advil from the duffel bag. "Here, you are most defiantly going to need this."

Sam nodded and took the pills from me, swallowing them dry. "Hold this." I told him, pushing the cloth into his hands. He did so and winced again. I stood from the bed and kissed his head, running my hand through his hair.

He managed to give me a thankful smile and I walked over to Dean, who was securing one of the windows.

"John in the other room?" I asked him and he nodded, not looking up from what he was doing. "How is he?"

"He just needed a little rest, that's all." He locked the window as tight as he could and looked at me as he leaned against it. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. My hands hurt but looking at damage control, it could have been worse. Poor Sam." I said looking over at him. He had leaned back up against the wall and closed his eyes with the cold cloth over top of them.

Dean hoisted himself up off the wall and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug. I ran my hands over his back and squeezed him every so often. I thought the hug was over a few times but he just stood there and held me, it was apparent he was afraid to let go.

"Hey." I said against his shoulder. "I'm okay."

He nodded and pulled back, kissing me on the lips. I pushed mine against him, desperately telling him that I needed to feel him. The kiss seemed to go on forever until we heard Sam groan. When we pulled back he was looking at us.

"You manage to make out when we're hiding in a rundown building, huh?" He asked us as Dean smiled slightly. "Unbelievable."

"So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun?" Dean quipped.

Sam got up and patted Dean on the shoulder as I held onto one of his arms. "Man, I'm tryin' to thank you here."

Dean smiled. "You're welcome." After a few moments though Dean's smile faded and he looked at me and Sam seriously. "You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there."

My face scrunched up in sympathy and I squeezed Dean's forearm. "Not so easy to forget is it?" I asked and he shook his head sadly.

"You didn't have a choice, Dean." Sam said, on account that it was his life that Dean saved.

"That's not what bothers me." Dean said, interrupting whatever Sam was about to go into.

I looked at him confused. "Then what does?"

"Killin' that guy, killin' Meg…" Dean wrapped an arm around me and squeezed. "I didn't hesitate. I didn't even flinch. For you guys or Dad, the things I'm willin' to do or kill, it just….it scares me sometimes." He said quietly and I leaned up to kiss his cheek. He leaned down and rested his head against mine.

"It shouldn't." We turned to see John standing in the doorway. "You did good."

"You're not mad?" Dean asked timidly, shifting against me.

"Mad? I'm proud of you. You watch out for this family. You always have." John said proudly and Dean looked slightly confused.

"Thanks."

Dean was looking about five percent confused but I was full on bewildered. John wasn't angry at Dean at all for using the Colt? The one and only thing that could kill this demon? The only thing he had found in how many years? No, something wasn't right…something didn't feel right.

Suddenly, the lights in the room began to flicker and the wind outside started shaking the house. All of us looked around wildly, like the house would fall down from the wind alone.

"It's found us." John said. He looked at Sam and Dean. "You two, check the lines of salt in front of every window, every door." He ordered.

Sam nodded and headed out the nearest door. Dean, for some reason unknown to me, handed me the Colt with a reassuring kiss. He then followed Sam to look over the windows.

"Andy, give it to me." John said, looking around the room. He looked frantic, like the demon was going to burst through the door any minute and attack.

"I don't…."

"Come on Andy!" John rushed. "I won't miss. Now, the gun. Hurry."

I held up the gun to him but then pulled it back, taking a step back from John. No. This wasn't right. Something in my head was screaming at me over and over; this was wrong. If I learned anything from this job it was to follow your instincts and they were telling me to stay the hell away from him.

He looked at me, confused and angry. "What are you doing?"

"You'd be furious." I whispered. "That Dean wasted a bullet. You wouldn't be proud of him. You'd tear him a new one." I raised the gun and cocked it. "You're not John."

O0o0o0o0o

He raised his hands up in front of him like I planned to kill him. "Andy, it's me."

"No, you're not. I know you're not my dad, but you're the closest thing I have to one anymore. I've lived by you and with you all my life. You're not him."

"What the hell has gotten into you?" John spat at me. "Your father would be so disappointed in you."

"Andy? What the hell is going on?" Dean asked me as he re-entered the room, Sam not far behind him.

"Your girlfriend has lost her mind." John tried to inform him.

I shook my head no. I was a hundred percent certain. "He's not your dad."

"What?" Sam asked, not wanting to believe it.

"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." I said. The hand I had the gun in was shaking.

"Don't listen to her, boys."

Tears were flooding to my eyes as I looked at Dean. He was looking to the floor, trying to sort out what to do in his head. I was making him do it, after I promised I'd never give him that decision again. I was making him choose.

"Dean please, I'm not crazy." He looked up at me and then at his dad. "Please, you have to trust me. Please…" I begged him, tears coursing down my cheeks. That's what people who loved each other did; they trusted each other.

"You know, we don't have time for this." John said looking at Sam. "Sam, you want to kill this demon, you've got to trust me."

Dean shook his head, looking at Sam. "No. No."

Sam looked at Dean as he slowly walked over near me. "Give me the gun." He said softly, putting his hand gently on my forearm. I had to trust him now, trust him that this wasn't just a ploy for me to not point a gun at his father. I slowly gave the gun to him, swallowing a sob. He nodded, running a hand through my hair. "That's my girl."

Sam joined us too, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me to him as Dean pointed the gun at John.

"Fine." John answered tearing up. "You're all so sure? Go ahead. Kill me."

He hung his head in sadness and Dean just shook his head and looked at me sadly as he lowered the gun. Suddenly John looked up and his eyes shined a fiery orange.

"Dean!" I screamed.

But it was too late; all of us were thrown back against the walls of the house by an invisible force. He smiled, looking at the gun on the floor and at all of us, squirming in our holds against the wall. "I thought so. Should have listened to your little girlfriend there Deany."

John picked up the gun off the floor and put it on a nearby table. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been." He muttered.

I turned my head to look at Dean. He was looking at the floor, most likely swearing at himself for not listening to me, but he was okay. Sam was alright too as I looked at my left. At least that was good. Hell, it was the only thing that was good.

"How did you know?" John asked as he approached me.

"That you were that demon we've been looking for? I didn't. I just knew you weren't John."

He smiled, putting his palm around my face and stroking it. "Well aren't you just the smartest cookie? I'm guessing tonight is going to be quite the tragedy for you isn't it? All these people in your life just keep dying don't they? By the way, did you like my daughters present?" He grinned, making his eyes seem to flicker like a flame.

"My dad's death wasn't my fault." I said stronger than I felt. "I know that."

John laughed darkly. "Do you now? Dean did help you through the healing process?"

"Leave her the hell alone!" Dean bellowed, making John take his hand off my face.

"Why? You weren't too keen in paying attention to what she was saying five minutes ago."

"Let my dad go. Or I swear to God—" Dean gritted his teeth in anger and frustration and John turned to look at him.

He scoffed. "What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice. You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."

"Your daughter?" I looked at him confused. But then it dawned on me. "Meg…"

Dena looked at me and then to John, who just confirmed my sentence and Dean laughed. It was cold and hard. He shouldn't have been laughing like that. Not when we were trapped against the wall and losing.

"The one in the alley? That was my boy. You understand?" John asked getting close to his face. "Your dad? He's in here with me—trapped inside his own meat suit. He says "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."

Dean's face grew like stone and it looked like he wasn't feeling much of anything. "You son of a bitch!" He swore, trying once again to win out against the force that was holding him to the wall.

"You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed _your _family?" John asked and I shook my head and Dean said nothing.

"Bastard." I muttered and John twiddled finger at me.

"Watch your mouth young lady." He warned. He turned back to Dean and smiled wickedly. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did kill your mommy. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."

"I wanna know why. Why'd you do it?" Sam asked, speaking up.

"You mean, why'd I kill your mommy and Andy's mommy and pretty little Jess?"

"Yeah." Sam seethed.

"Because they got in the way." He said simply.

"In the way of what?" I spat.

"My plans for you two—you two….and all the children like you." He said carefully looking at us both.

I glanced at Dean and I could tell he was terrified with the fact that the demon was so close to us. Even though I shook my head at him, he opened his big mouth anyways. "Listen….you mind just gettin' this over with, huh? 'Cause I really can't stand the monologue."

"Funny." John said walking back over to Dean. I squirmed and wriggled against the hold around me. Damn, it Dean. Now was not the time to be a hardass. Please, shut up. Did he think it was much easier for Sam and I to watch the demon so close to him? "But that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Mask all that nasty pain. Mask the truth. You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is….they don't need you."

"That's not true, you son of a bitch!" I yelled.

John cocked his head at me. "What have I told you about that pretty little mouth of yours?" He asked me. He flicked his wrist and suddenly a huge cut sliced its way across my face and I screamed in pain.

"Stop it!" Dean and Sam both yelled.

I leaned my head down breathing heavily and whimpered, watching the blood slowly leak its way from my face and onto the floor.

"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh?" Dean spat, pissed as all hell. "Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." I saw him smile weakly as I lifted my head and John stepped back from Dean.

John lowered his head momentarily and when he raised it back up Dean started bleeding heavily from the chest and he screamed in agony.

"No!" I cried, wrenching sobs finding their way out of my throat as I stood there and helplessly watched him bleed to death.

"Dean! No!" Sam screamed.

Dean continued to scream as blood poured out of him. "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!" He pleaded. He was making me cry harder until I was full on weeping at the sight. The bleeding only got heavier and Dean cried and moaned in pain. Blood began pouring from his mouth and I wrenched myself against the demons' hold, the sobs wracking my body.

"Dean!" I sobbed. This couldn't have been happening. I was going to wake up soon. I had to. I'd wake up in bed, Dean's warm body next to me. I'd cry for hours just wanting him to hold me and he'd squeeze me and tell me that he was okay, that I was okay and that it was just some crazy nightmare. He was fine and right there. I closed my eyes millions of times, trying to block out Dean's wretched screaming. But nothing worked. I didn't wake up.

"Dad, please." He begged weakly. The bleeding stopped and Dean hung his head low.

Suddenly as John bowed his head, saying no like a mantra, all of us were released from the wall. Sam rushed over to the table and grabbed the Colt aiming it at John. I ran to Dean, the cries still coming from me full blast. I pushed my arms underneath Dean's and pulled him up to lean against me.

"Dean?" I asked, I prayed. "Dean…"

John's head lifted back up, sparkling yellow and oranges not familiar with the rainbow. "You kill me, you kill Daddy." He taunted Sam.

Dean grunted in my arms and I didn't care how much blood got on me. I hugged him as tight as I could; knowing the bleeding slowed as long as I held on.

Sam didn't hesitate. "I know." He shot John in the leg, electricity seeming to light his body on fire. He fell to the floor, seeming to be unconscious. Sam dipped down next to us and ran a comforting hand through my hair.

"Hey Dean, you doing okay?"

"Where's Dad?" Was all he wanted to know.

"He's lost a lot of blood." I said; my voice raw from crying. "We need to get him out of here."

"Sammy!" John suddenly screamed, making him jerk. "It's still alive. It's inside me. I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!" Sam stood and looked at his father, tears in his eyes. He was hesitating. "Do it, now!" John yelled.

"Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it." Dean said, trying to go louder.

I squeezed him and he held onto me tightly. "Shhhh…." I tried to calm him. I placed kisses over his pale face.

"You've got to hurry! I can't hold on to it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me!" I looked up as John screamed at Sam and I shook my head no. Sam couldn't make that type of decision. It'd kill Dean, not to mention their father.

"No, Sam." I whispered.

Dean started crying and I ran my hands in his hair and placed my lips on his forehead. "Sam, no." Dean murmured and sniffled.

"You do this! Sammy! Sam…" Sam's name turned into a scream as John couldn't hold back the demon any longer. The black smoke erupted itself from John's throat and disappeared through the floorboards.

I saw John look at Sam sadly and disappointingly as Sam put the weapon down. I just put my lips back on Dean and rocked him.

O0o0o0o0o

Sam and I loaded everyone into the car. He drove to the hospital while John sat in the front and I was in the back with Dean. John was clearly in pain and pissed at Sam, while Dean just looked exhausted and upset.

It worried me to see him like that. I pulled him against me and kept rocking him slightly and he turned on his stomach and buried his head in my chest.

"Baby," I said and he looked up at me. The blood on his face made tears come to my eyes again. "I know you're tired but I don't want you to fall asleep okay?"

He nodded and shuddered. I felt his blood seep into my t-shirt. "Okay." He said roughly.

"Hey, I love you. So much, alright?" He wasn't going to die. I kept telling myself that. But I hadn't prepared myself for my mother's or my father's death. I was telling him I loved him in case. I wanted and needed him to know.

He smiled, tiredly. "I love you too, always."

"Just hold on, all right?" Sam asked us as he ran a hand through his hair. "Hospital's only ten minutes away." In a nervous habit he flipped the radio on and CCR's 'Bad Moon Rising' came softly through the speakers.

John looked over at Sam. "I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye to eye on this—killin' this demon comes first. Before me, before everything."

Sam glanced back at me ad Dean through the rearview mirror and shook his head. "No, sir. Not before everything." I smiled at him, proudly. "Look, we still have the Colt. We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, all right, I mean; we already found the demon—"

A huge crashing noise filled the car and for a moment I seriously thought it was thunder. But then I realized the car was moving and that the crash had been a truck hitting the side of the Impala, sending us of the road.

O0o0o0o

I was having trouble breathing, I was aware of that. And I suddenly felt very cold. My skin was cold to the touch but I was well aware of mine and Dean's warm blood mixing together. Black and white sparks seemed to be lighting up my eyes and everything had a fuzzy haze to it. I felt my heart skip a painful beat and I leaned against Dean, who was unconscious. I couldn't feel his breathing against me. The last thing I heard was the car radio.

_There's a bad moon on the rise.__  
__Don't go around tonight,  
Well, it's bound to take your life,  
There's a bad moon on the rise._

0o0o0o0o0o

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